AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Ministry of State in the President’s Office, Regional Administration and Local Government (TAMISEMI), is in 2021/2022 requesting the government to allocate about 312.1bn/- which will be spent in the provision of free basic education for all.
Deputy Minister in the Ministry, David Silinde said in parliament on Wednesday that if approved by the House in the next budget, the money will amount to an increment of 13.96bn/- compared to 298.13bn/- that was approved in 2020/21.
He was responding to a question posed by Mtwara Rural MP, Hassan Mtega (CCM) who wanted to know the plan in the pipeline to increase the budget for free primary and secondary education.
“The government will continue implementing its project for free basic education depending on the availability of funds,’’ said Mr Silinde, adding that between December 2015 and February 2021, the government spent 1.26tri/- to provide free basic education countrywide.
The money increased school enrollment in primary school from 1, 386,5 92 in 2015 to about 1,57,453 in 2020, according to statistics from the ministry.
With free basic education, the number of pupils who have so far received primary education has increased from 8,298,282 in 2015 to about 10,925,896 i n 2020.
Other achievements include an increase in the number of students in secondary schools from 1,648,359 in 2015 to about 2,185,037 in 2020, while the number of students joining Advanced Level education increased from 66,090 in 2015 to about 74,478 in 2020.
“Pass rates for students in Form Four final examinations also increased from 68 per cent (2015) to 85.8 per cent in 2020, while in form six examinations the percentage rate increased from 97.94 (2015) to 99.51per cent in 2020,” he further revealed.
