THE government has intensified efforts to review the Education Act in line with the newly launched Education Policy, with the process expected to shape the future direction of the country's education sector up to 2028.
Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Adolf Mkenda, said on Thursday in Dodoma that the government is committed to ensuring the review of the Education Act, Chapter 353, is completed on time to support implementation of the new education agenda.
Prof Mkenda made the remarks during a national stakeholders' meeting focused on reviewing the Education Act. The session aimed to gather recommendations on structuring the proposed law to support the implementation of the revised policy..
He said the government has continued implementing broad reforms in the education sector, including formulation of new policies aimed at improving the quality of education across the country.
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"The new Education Policy has already been launched and the next step is to improve the law so that it reflects the new direction of the education sector up to 2028," he said.
Prof Mkenda noted that although the National Education Act of 1978 has undergone several amendments over the years, the current review seeks to determine whether the country requires an entirely new law or further improvements to the existing legislation.
He said the newly adopted education structure has rendered the 1978 National Education Act obsolete, necessitating extensive amendments or an entirely new legal framework.
He also the government has started rolling out the new Education and Training Policy, but implementation has exposed immediate legal gaps that must be addressed to support the reforms.
Speaking on the updates, Prof Mkenda noted that one of the policy's most transformative elements is a new 10-year compulsory education mandate designed to guarantee that all Tanzanian youth attain at least a Form Four education.
"We have gathered here to review recommendations that have already been worked on. We are now collecting views from stakeholders, which will help determine whether we should come up with a completely new law or continue improving the existing one," he explained.
He said views and recommendations collected from stakeholders would later be submitted to the cabinet by mid june 2026 for further procedures and approval.
The minister also commended education stakeholders for their continued participation and contribution towards strengthening the country's education system.
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Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Prof Carolyne Nombo, said the ministry is ready to analyse and work on all views submitted during the consultation process.
She urged participants to freely express their views to help formulate a strong and beneficial education law for the nation.
"We are ready to receive and work on all recommendations from stakeholders so that we can come up with a law that responds to the current needs of the education sector and the country at large," she said.
On her part, Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Wanu Hafidh Ameir, said the review process has taken time deliberately to ensure the final law reflects the views and expectations of a broad section of Tanzanians and education stakeholders.
She noted that the Education Act of 1978 has remained in force for many years, making it important to formulate a durable law that will serve current and future generations while safeguarding national interests.
"The law has served the country for many years, but there is now a need for stakeholders to provide views that will help produce a better law capable of meeting the demands of future generations while protecting national interests," she said.
