Rural
EDUCATION
Tanzania faces considerable challenges with literacy levels, especially in rural areas where rates drop to around 69% compared to 91% in urban settings.
Although about 80% of Tanzanian students finish primary school it is clear that rural Tanzanians are being left behind.
Rural Education Challenges
Geographical isolation, funding shortfalls and teaching provision severely impact the quality of rural education and student outcomes.
Additionally, children who are not attending school in rural areas face a higher risk of exploitation, child marriage, and reduced earning potential. While the opportunities to continue education beyond school are severely lacking.
Primary School Challenges
In Tanzania there are nearly 17,000 primary schools; far more than can be adequately funded and resourced .
Even for students enrolled in primary school, the challenges such as inadequately trained or absent teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and insufficient learning resources result in many still being unable to read or write.
Community-based solutions
Responsibility for funding education services in rural areas is often borne by community-led organisations struggling to fill the gaps.
To solve these challenges, Kamitei collaborates with community councils and local schools, plus Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) that use income from conservation efforts to tackle community issues.
By collaboratively investing in education, these organisations aim to improve literacy levels and livelihoods in their communities.
20%
Children having their own textbooks can increase their literacy scores by up to…
Source: UNESCO
69%
Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest percentage of trained primary teachers among all regions.
Source: Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023
91%
of primary school-age children in low-income countries will not achieve minimum proficiency levels in reading.
Source: UIS Fact Sheet
12%
Providing children with a nutritious meal at school can increase their cognitive abilities by 12%.
Source: UNESCO