Join our newsletter
Explore the latest news in education and development
By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy
Leaders in Teaching Tanzania – LEAD Pillar
Share this article
Challenge
Since 2014, Tanzania has been implementing a revised competence-based curriculum, first introduced in 2005, to align secondary education with the 21st-century skills needed for employment and lifelong learning. However, implementation remains constrained by limited teacher preparation and weak instructional leadership. Research shows that over 70 percent of secondary teachers have not received in-service training on the competence-based curriculum, and more than 60 percent lack the skills to design learner-centred classroom activities. Large class sizes, inadequate teaching resources and limited mentorship structures further hinder effective practice. Strengthening school leadership, especially among women educators who remain underrepresented in leadership positions, is essential to support teachers, improve classroom instruction and deliver on the goals of Tanzania’s curriculum reform.
Goals
The project builds the capacity of secondary school educational leaders through blended learning trajectories with and through government partners, with specific attention for women in leadership. It strengthens teaching and learning in secondary schools so that all learners, especially in underserved communities, gain the skills they need for further education and the world of work.
Project Partners
Approach
The project forms part of the Leaders in Teaching (LIT) initiative, which supports the teaching profession across four pillars: Recruit, Train, Lead and Motivate.
Under the LEAD Pillar, VVOB is working with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), the Agency for the Development of Educational Management (ADEM) and partners to strengthen school leadership in Tanzania.
Together, we are designing and delivering accredited blended professional development for school and education leaders, supported by digital learning platforms and mentoring networks. Key building blocks include policy development, gender-responsive leadership pathways and communities of learning for continuous peer support. Through these coordinated actions, our project embeds sustainable professional development systems that enable school leaders to guide teachers and improve learning in line with Tanzania's competence-based curriculum.
By the end of the programme
- Leadership capacity is strengthened in secondary schools across Tanzania.
- Over 11,000 school and educational leaders complete professional development programmes.
- Approximately 2.8 million secondary school students benefit from improved teaching and learning environments.
- An evidence-based, gender-responsive policy framework for school leadership is established.
- Greater representation of women in leadership roles contributes to more inclusive and equitable education leadership.