HakiElimu, in collaboration with Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) and VIA University College in Denmark, has organized the Second International Conference (FECUN), which has brought together professionals from various fields around the world to discuss Education for Self-Reliance.

The two-day conference is taking place at Mkwawa University College of Education in Iringa and includes some participants joining online, where a total of nine topics will be presented and discussed. This year’s conference theme is “Reimagining Education for Self-Reliance (ESR) in the Context of Futures of Education, Culture and Nature,”.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Wilson Mahera, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, on behalf of the Guest of Honor, Professor Carolyne Nombo, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, congratulated Mkwawa University College of Education (MUCE) for organizing this conference for the second time, in collaboration with VIA University College in Denmark and HakiElimu. Dr. Mahera added that conferences like this are important for researchers to present their work, network, and learn about contemporary research trends.

He continued to say, "I would like to assure you and the general public that the Government, under the leadership of Her Excellency, Hon. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, remains committed to ensuring the availability of a skilled workforce in Education, Humanities, and Science and Technology to drive the economic progress of our nation."

Presenting HakiElimu's greetings, Mr. Godfrey Boniventura, Head of Program stated, "HakiElimu believes that education for self-reliance is more important now than ever, especially in addressing the global challenges we face today, such as technological advancements, environmental issues, socio-economic disparities, and cultural diversities. All of these require an education system that prepares students to be innovative problem-solvers and critical thinkers, enabling them to contribute to their personal and national development."

For his part, the Acting Principal of Mkwawa University College, Professor Deusdedit Rwehumbiza, said, "This International Conference is an important event as it brings together researchers, teacher educators, innovators, curriculum developers, and other education stakeholders. This gathering will enable participants to learn about new ideas and opportunities and create collaborations that will help address existing challenges in education."

The FECUN project is inspired by UNESCO’s Futures of Education project, which focus on establishing a new global infrastructure of education, which connects education with the notion of ‘commons’ and the idea of creating a new social contract for education that can repair injustices while transforming our visions and images of our futures together.

From August 12th to 15th, 2024, HakiElimu proudly participated in the Inaugural East African Community Education Conference and the Celebration of the AU Year of Education. The event, held in Arusha, Tanzania, brought together key stakeholders from across the region under the theme, "Educating an African Fit for the 21st Century: Collective Action for Quality, Inclusive, and Lifelong Learning in East Africa."

The conference provided a vital platform for HakiElimu to engage with policymakers, educators, and other likeminded stakeholders in discussions aimed at transforming the education landscape in East Africa. Our team was actively involved in various sessions, sharing insights and strategies to ensure that education systems in the region are equipped to meet the needs of all learners in the 21st century.

Throughout the event, HakiElimu’s representatives participated in both key speakers’ plenary sessions and breakout sessions that addressed critical issues, including the implementation of competency-based curricula, access to quality education in low-income urban areas, child protection, safe school and the re-entry of teenage mothers into the education system. These discussions were crucial in shaping a collective approach to building resilient, inclusive, and quality education systems across East Africa. We presented a paper on the implementation of competency-based curriculum which emerged as one of the areas of great concern since it is not implemented as envisioned since 2005.  However, countries differ and therefore, it is worth to learn from one another.            

As we move forward, HakiElimu remains committed to contributing to the realization of the conference’s vision. Our participation in this inaugural event underscores our dedication to advocating for educational reforms that prioritize equity, inclusivity, and lifelong learning opportunities for all children in the region.

On June 4, 2024, at the Morena Hotel in Dodoma, HakiElimu, in collaboration with the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), launched a research report on Access to Quality Education for Children Living in Low-Income Urban Neighbourhoods in Tanzania. The study aims to address the following research questions:

1. What are the schooling patterns among children living in urban poor households in Tanzania, including those with special needs.
2. How do urban poor communities perceive and understand education as a right in the context of urbanization in Tanzania.
3. What available education opportunities exist for children with special needs living in poor urban households.

Read full report for findings and recommendations from this study at https://shorturl.at/BhIrt

On April 25 and May 3, 2024, HakiElimu conducted a series of successful engagements with Members of Parliament (MPs) as key stakeholders in Dodoma, Tanzania.

The objective of these strategic engagement with MPs was to empower them with knowledge and resources regarding the National Strategy for Inclusive Education (NSIE). By building their capacity on NSIE's goals and implementation plans, we aimed to facilitate their active engagement in promoting inclusive education. This included equipping them with evidence-based information, such as analyses of the education budget for FY 2024/25.

A total of 35 Members of Parliament were engaged this time around: 20 were members of the HakiElimu champion MPs (4 males and 16 females); 12 were members of the Parliamentary Education Committee, including 10 MPs and 2 secretaries (totaling 3 males and 9 females); and a total of three MPs were engaged separately during one-on-one sessions

On 25^th January 2024, HakiElimu in collaboration with the Häme University of Applied Sciences (HAMK), 3DBear, The Vocational Educational and Training Authority (VETA), Karume Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and Centro San Viator (CSV) have launched a two-year project meant to foster employability and entrepreneurship in Vocational Education Training (VET) industry in the Tanzania. This project is co-funded by the European Union (EU).

The project seeks to increase competence of direct (teachers, teacher trainers) and indirect beneficiaries (students) in entrepreneurship, digital competences, employability, active participation in society, better understanding of interconnections between vocational education and labor market and increased opportunities for professional development.

Launching of National CSO Coalition for Safe Schools’ (NCCSS) - March 2024

On April 29, 2024, enters into HakiElimu’s commemorated historic days as the Organization simultaneously launched two significant research findings reports at the New Dodoma Hotel in Dodoma. These reports addressed critical topics in Tanzania's education landscape: The Study on The Political Economy of Early Childhood Development (ECD) which investigated practices and contexts surrounding Early Childhood Development (ECD) for children aged 0-8 and the Study on the Reintegration of Teenage Mothers into Formal Secondary Schools in Tanzania that examined the challenges and opportunities related to re-integrating teenage mothers into formal secondary education, aligning with the implementation of the 2022 Re-entry guideline.

CSO's Week - August 2024

From May 6th to May 10th, 2024, HakiElimu, a prominent member of the Tanzania Education Network (TENMET), actively participated in the Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) held in Geita Municipal Council. The theme for GAWE 2024 was “Transformative Education," recognizing the critical role of education in fostering societal change and sustainable development. The event was organized by TENMET and marked a significant occasion for stakeholders in education to come together and address pressing issues affecting students' learning journey in Geita Municipal Council.

As passionate advocates for educational equality, HakiElimu showcased various publications and seized the opportunity to engage with the community by visiting several identified schools. These visits were instrumental in HakiElimu's ongoing efforts to address gender-specific educational challenges. During their school visits, HakiElimu representatives had heartfelt conversations, especially with female students, who candidly shared the barriers impeding their educational journeys.

These young girls expressed a poignant need for dormitories and special changing rooms and facilities for girls during menstruation periods. The absence of these essential resources has led to an alarming number of girls dropping out of school due to pregnancies, as they are vulnerable to temptations and rape incidents during long commutes between home and school. They earnestly called for the government and other stakeholders to provide dormitories, which would enable them to stay at school and focus on their studies in a safe and conducive environment