SOME students who have benefited from the Future Forward Education Programme in mineral-rich regions have applauded the initiative, saying it has been a game-changer in Tanzania's education sector.

The programme has been developed by Barrick-Twiga and is aimed at transforming education in Tanzania.  It meant to improve education infrastructure in primary schools, secondary schools, and technical colleges surrounding their operations.

In its first phase, the programme has achieved significant progress, including the construction of 374 modern classrooms, 89 dormitories, and 569 sanitation facilities.  The programme has been designed to reinforce and upgrade infrastructure in advanced-level government secondary schools and aims at improving access to education for students previously limited by inadequate infrastructure. It also creates an enabling learning environment.

In separate interviews, students said it has improved academic outcomes and increased university enrolment in the country s a result of transformative efforts.

Prisca Mawaga, a Form Five student at Lucas Malia Secondary School in Ruangwa District, Lindi Region said: “The programme has helped to reduce congestion in dormitories, classrooms, and toilets. We now study in an enabling and friendly environment.”

Prisca said: “With the current situation, I believe my long-term dream of becoming a surgeon will come true.” 

Rushda Idd, a student, at Mamire Secondary School in Babati District, Manyara Region also attested that the programme enabled him to study in a friendly environment.

"We are studying in a friendly environment compared to previous years when there was inadequate infrastructure, especially for us girl students who used to suffer from communicable diseases due to unfriendly toilets and overcrowded dormitories, with at least two students sleeping on one bed," she explained.

Gilbert Chiyumbe, a student at Ibwaga Secondary School in Kongwa District, Dodoma Region said he was impressed with the improved learning environment and was hopeful that the situation would be sustained.

Similar views were expressed by Simon Bujiku from Sumve Secondary School in Mwanza Region and Mwajuma Omar from Ifunda Girls Secondary School.

Some secondary headmasters/mistresses said that the programme enabled both teachers and students to work in an enabling and friendly environment.

One of them, Maria Kitakala, Sumve Secondary School acting headmistress said: "This project is excellent and has successfully enabled schoolchildren to study in an enabling environment. It has reduced truancy rates and benefited not only A-level students but also O-level students and those who come from rural areas, who face various transport challenges to and from school.”

Some parents are happy too with the project which they say has played a significant role in the mitigation of shortages of dormitories, toilet facilities, and classrooms.

“Now, children study in an enabling and friendly environment, which undoubtedly will increase their academic achievement. The project has also contributed to reducing truancy rates and instances of gender-based violence against girls,” said Issa Nkunga, from Mamire Village in Babati District, Manyara Region. 

He pointed out that new dormitories were a panacea for challenges that faced lower-grade students from rural villages who previously would risk their lives as they traveled long distances to and from school and could meet fierce wild animals.

 “All these are now accommodated in new dormitories built through the project," he said.

While several parents commended similarly, education officers in the districts and regions that had benefited from the project said the project had increased the number of students enrolling in A-level schools.

"The project has come at the right time when the number of students selected for advanced level education has increased. It has helped to improve the learning environment, and I believe many students will join higher education as a result of studying in an enabling and friendly environment," said Ashura Mpambije, Acting Secondary Education Officer for Ruangwa District in Lindi Region.

Announcing the outcomes of Form Five and vocational college selection for the academic year 2024, Minister of State in the President's Office (Regional Administration and Local Government) Mohamed Mchengerwa said 188,787 students had been selected to join Form Five schools. ”Out of that number, 123,948 students have secured places in boarding secondary schools for Form Five.”

Mark Bristow, Barrick Gold Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) once stated that  the initiative had improved the performance of schools in mining regions, whereby education stakeholders and beneficiaries lauded commended the programme as