Living in a Post – crisis era, the journey to education has had amicable twists and turns. While we saw the educative progress come to a halt in 2020, due to the outbreak of COVID – 19 and the necessity of lockdowns, such has incurred a great loss to educational development. It is reported that a large number of schoolchildren dropped out of school, with the highest cause being teenage pregnancies and early marriages. The rise of GBV related cases peaked up rapidly, with the future of the young school child uncertain.
In spite of this, the government and all its stakeholders remained resilient in ensuring that access to education is equitable to all. The increase and improvement of classrooms nationwide as well as the constant investment by stakeholders, both nationwide and international, brings hope to the young boys and girls everywhere.
In full support of this endearment, Tai Tanzania alongside Sawa Initiative and Global Peace Foundation Tanzania commemorated the International Day of Education on 24th January 2022 with the students of Mikocheni Secondary School. As this year’s theme stated, “Changing Forms, Transforming Education”, our hope was to challenge the bright minds on the futuristic prospect of transformed education.
In a classroom of 60 students, the event was as lively as ever. From encouraging the importance of conserving our planet through the planting of trees to the interesting debate held at the motion “Should there be an equal access in the right to education for both the boy and girl child?”, the young students minds were brimming with knowledge such that they are aware of their rights and privileges as students. “There is a need to ensure that the girl child has as equal access to education as the boy child; as she can accomplish a lot and proof of that can be seen from our very own President”, one of the students claimed. They were also adeptly informed of the importance of equal access to education through the screening of our Animations Naweza and Shujaa.
In a special appearance of the Founder of Sawa Initiative, Nurdin Bilal Ali (alias Shetta), who argued for the importance of young boys and girls to realize their dreams through education. More importantly, he urged the young students to invest as much in their talents, as he was able to do so with his life. He, alongside his organization is as invested in ensuring equitable access to education is achievable, through the use of art.
The Academic Dean, Ms. Nancy, showed her appreciation towards the event. She urged that we all have a part to play in ensuring that education is transformed. From the students, to society, the government and stakeholders, we all ought to come together, in hopes of making suitable changes for a better future.