Our education program is central to our commitment to fostering positive change. We focus on enhancing the quality of primary and secondary education and improving student performance. Connected to our economic empowerment initiative, we emphasize vocational education to equip youth with technical skills in areas such as tailoring, food production, mechanics, agribusiness, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), automobile mechanics, and domestic electricity, among others.
Why an education program?
The Zanzibar Vision 2050 centers on human development, aiming to transform the education system for quality inclusive education and training programs. MKUZA III and ZEDP-II, aligned with Sustainable Development Goal #4, focus on inclusive and equitable access to education. Despite efforts, challenges persist, including financial barriers, a gap between policy intent and implementation, and small-scale operations of Alternative Learning Centers (ALCs). Gender-specific barriers contribute to dropouts, with young mothers facing difficulties. Quality concerns, inefficient teacher redeployment, low school/teacher inspector ratio, insufficient infrastructure, and reliance on external resources also impact education. Limited opportunities for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), gender gaps in enrollment, and inadequate support for special needs further complicate the education landscape in Zanzibar.
While governmental efforts have aimed to improve access to education, including abolishing school fees and allowing pregnant girls to return to school, poverty and lack of childcare options continue to limit opportunities for young mothers. The Zanzibar government has also implemented various policies and strategies to enhance education quality and access, including free education policies and initiatives to support out-of-school children.
We at Mwanamke Initiatives Foundation understand that the Government cannot do it all alone. The initiatives by the Government require partner support to complement the efforts and that is where MIF comes in. We strive to support the Government in addressing implementation gaps and financial barriers that persist, particularly affecting marginalized groups and those with special needs. The Foundation implements several initiatives to promote quality education such as capacity building of teachers and managers in the education sector, supporting filling in the gap in teachers’ availability through the Mwanamke Initiatives Foundations fellows (MIF Fellows), and sponsoring young girls to attend Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institution. The Foundation believes that education is one of the best resources to lift families out of poverty and increase a country’s overall economic growth. Overall, quality education for all genders is crucial for Zanzibar’s progress and prosperity; therefore, MIF leaves no one behind.
