Collaboration key to improving school infrastructure across Tanzania

MOMBA: FOR communities where children spend years learning in overcrowded classrooms or under inadequate facilities, the completion of a school building represents more than an improvement in infrastructure. It offers an opportunity for children to learn in a safer environment, for teachers to deliver lessons more effectively and for communities to participate in shaping the future of their children.

In Momba District, Songwe Region, the completion of education infrastructure projects supported by the Tanzania Education Network (TEN/MET) demonstrates how collaboration between communities and development stakeholders can help address longstanding challenges facing schools across the country.

TEN/MET has handed over education infrastructure and learning facilities valued at approximately 60 million/- to support efforts to improve learning environments in the district.

The contribution includes two classrooms at Chiwanda and Ndalambo Primary Schools, a teachers’ office at Ndalambo, 76 desks for pupils at Msia and Chiwanda primary schools, and three wheelchairs for learners with disabilities at Ndalambo Special Primary School.

The intervention followed the identification of local education challenges during the 2026 Global Action Week for Education (GAWE), when TEN/MET engaged with communities and committed to supporting their efforts to improve school infrastructure.

The experience demonstrates how cooperation can help communities overcome challenges that individual stakeholders may struggle to address independently, particularly where the availability of resources remains a barrier to completing essential school facilities.

At Ndalambo, classroom construction initiated by residents had stalled for more than five years because of a shortage of resources. At Chiwanda, efforts to complete classroom construction had continued for approximately eight years without reaching completion.

The prolonged delays illustrate the difficulties communities face when they initiate development projects but lack sufficient financial and material support to bring them to completion.

They also demonstrate the importance of partnerships that recognise local initiatives and provide the additional resources needed to turn community aspirations into functioning public facilities.

Speaking during the handover, TEN/MET National Coordinator, Ms Martha Makala said improving education could not be left to the government or a single institution because it required collective commitment and meaningful community participation.

“The success of improving education cannot be left to the government or a single institution alone. It requires genuine collaboration, with community participation as a key pillar and a shared commitment to ensuring that every child has a better learning environment,” she said.

She said community involvement in identifying challenges and developing solutions helped ensure that investments responded to actual needs and produced meaningful, lasting results.

Ms Makala added that TEN/MET had recognised the efforts made by residents of Ndalambo and decided to support their initiatives after seeing how they had struggled to begin classroom construction.

Her remarks point to an important principle in education development: communities are not merely beneficiaries of projects but also partners who can identify priorities, mobilise local resources and help ensure that completed infrastructure serves its intended purpose.

Across Tanzania, collaboration among the government, civil society organisations, development partners, parents, local leaders and private sector institutions can provide a practical approach to addressing school infrastructure needs.

Each stakeholder brings different resources, knowledge and responsibilities that can contribute to more sustainable improvements.

The government has a central responsibility in planning and financing public education, establishing standards and ensuring equitable distribution of resources.

However, partnerships with other stakeholders can complement government efforts by supporting specific infrastructure needs, providing learning materials and strengthening community participation.

Civil society organisations can help identify gaps in service delivery, mobilise support and connect communities with institutions capable of addressing their challenges.

Their presence at the community level can also help ensure that projects respond to the needs of learners, including children with disabilities and those living in underserved areas.

Parents and community members, meanwhile, can contribute through local initiatives, monitoring construction activities and protecting school facilities after completion.

Their involvement can strengthen accountability and encourage a sense of ownership, particularly when communities participate in deciding which improvements are most urgently needed.

The Momba experience shows how these different contributions can complement one another. Residents had already demonstrated their commitment by initiating construction, while TEN/MET provided support that helped address the resource constraints delaying progress.

Such partnerships can also help prevent the duplication of development efforts.

When education authorities, communities and supporting organisations share information about existing infrastructure, funding commitments and outstanding needs, they can direct available resources towards projects that are incomplete or require urgent attention.

Instead of several organisations independently supporting similar activities in one location, coordinated planning can help ensure that assistance reaches schools with the greatest needs.

This approach can also improve transparency by making it easier to establish who is responsible for funding, implementation, supervision and maintenance.

Another important consideration is the quality and long-term sustainability of school infrastructure. Collaboration should extend beyond the construction phase to include supervision, maintenance and the provision of essential facilities.

A completed classroom cannot deliver its full benefits if it lacks adequate furniture, accessible pathways, sanitation facilities or a safe learning environment.

The provision of 76 desks to Msia and Chiwanda primary schools alongside classroom construction illustrates why infrastructure support needs to consider the broader learning environment.

Classrooms provide space for teaching, but learners also require appropriate furniture and other facilities to participate effectively in lessons.

Similarly, the three wheelchairs provided to learners with disabilities at Ndalambo Special Primary School demonstrate the importance of incorporating inclusive education into infrastructure planning.

School development programmes need to consider the specific requirements of learners with disabilities from the outset.

Accessible classrooms, appropriate sanitation facilities, safe pathways and suitable assistive devices can help reduce barriers that prevent some children from participating fully in education.

For this reason, communities and implementing partners need to involve teachers, parents and learners with disabilities when identifying priorities.

Their experiences can help decision-makers understand which improvements are necessary to make school environments accessible and inclusive.

TEN/MET’s intervention also highlights the role of advocacy platforms in bringing education challenges to the attention of stakeholders.

Through Global Action Week for Education, the network engaged communities, identified infrastructure gaps and committed to supporting local initiatives.

Such platforms can provide opportunities for stakeholders to discuss barriers affecting education, share experiences and encourage practical action.

They can also strengthen public awareness of the need to mobilise domestic resources for education and ensure that commitments translate into tangible improvements in schools.

However, sustaining the benefits of collaboration requires clear responsibilities and accountability.

Stakeholders need to establish realistic budgets, implementation timelines and monitoring arrangements before projects begin.

Communities should also receive information about project costs, funding sources and maintenance responsibilities to strengthen public trust and protect completed facilities.

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Local government authorities can support this process by incorporating community-identified priorities into development plans and coordinating contributions from different partners.

Regular assessments of school infrastructure can help identify gaps, guide investment decisions and monitor whether completed projects are meeting learners’ needs.

Speaking during the handover, a traditional leader from Momba District’s Nkangamo Ward welcomed the contribution, saying the facilities addressed the actual needs of children in the community.

He said classrooms, desks and wheelchairs would improve learning conditions and increase the participation of children, including those with disabilities.

The leader also pledged that the community would protect and maintain the infrastructure to ensure it served children as intended.

Such commitments are important because the responsibility for school development does not end when a project is handed over.

Communities, education authorities and other stakeholders need to work together to protect public investments and ensure that facilities remain safe and functional.

The experience in Momba offers a lesson for other districts seeking to improve school infrastructure: community initiatives can achieve more when they receive timely support, while external investments are more likely to respond to local priorities when residents participate in identifying needs and implementing solutions.

As Tanzania continues to pursue equitable access to quality education, stronger partnerships can help address infrastructure gaps, improve the use of available resources and promote inclusive learning environments.

Ultimately, improving schools across the country requires more than constructing buildings.

It requires sustained cooperation, responsible investment and shared accountability to ensure that every child, regardless of location or disability, has access to a safe and supportive environment in which to learn.