Unguja. Representatives from the House of Representatives have stated that although the government has made significant investments in education infrastructure, additional efforts are required to ensure that the quality of education meets the standards of the newly built schools.
They claimed that even though contemporary multi-story school buildings have been built, many residents, including officials and those with financial means, still choose not to send their children to these schools due to worries about the standard of education.
Lawmakers called on the government to continue refining educational programs, ensuring that the education provided in Zanzibar meets elevated benchmarks and boosts the employability of its graduates.
The comments were delivered on Saturday, May 16, 2026, while discussing the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training’s budget and spending projections in the House of Representatives in Chukwani, Unguja.
The Parliament passed Sh1.1 trillion for the ministry to execute six key objectives during the 2026/27 fiscal year.
Involving in the discussion, Amani Representative, Mr. Masoud Amour Masoud, from CCM, mentioned that although there has been significant government funding for multi-story primary and secondary schools, many individuals, including lawmakers, still do not send their children to these institutions.
“We need to be truthful here. We admire these impressive structures, but even some of us here don’t bring our children to those schools. The primary reason is that there is still no adequate English-language instruction,” he stated.
He recommended that the ministry examine and enhance the syllabus.
“English has turned into a challenge because from Standard One to Standard Seven, all subjects are taught in Kiswahili except for English, but when students move to secondary school, all subjects are taught in English except Kiswahili,” he said.
“When you examine this system, it is incapable of driving educational change. Ideally, students should learn in Kiswahili until Standard Four, and from Standard Five to Seven, all subjects should be taught in English,” he added.
He mentioned that Zanzibar’s educational system still promotes rote learning rather than assisting students in building comprehension, which he claimed reduces the quality of education.
Paje Representative Jaku Hashim Ayub, CCM, stated that Arabic has been incorporated into certain educational materials, which he called improper as education and religion should be kept distinct.
“Regarding the quality of education, we are combining Arabic and religion in textbooks. These are significant errors. Religion must stay separate, and educational materials should not be intertwined,” he stated.
A representative from Chaani, Mr. Juma Usongi, affiliated with CCM, stated that incorporating history education at the lower levels of schooling is essential to establish a solid national base.
“A country without a past cannot move forward anywhere,” he stated.
He also advocated for greater focus on ethical instruction, noting that discipline and principles seem to be declining in numerous educational institutions.
A representative from Mtambwe, Dr. Mohamed Ali Suleiman of ACT-Wazalendo, stated that students with special needs still encounter discrimination even though new school facilities have been built.
“We are informed that students with special needs should be kept on lower floors in these multi-story schools. This perpetuates discrimination as they also require access to upper levels. We need to create infrastructure that supports them,” he stated.
He further mentioned that certain schools are still in bad shape, featuring leaking roofs and needing immediate restoration.
Ole Representative, Me Seif Hamad Suleiman, mentioned that school infrastructure continues to be insufficient in providing proper facilities for students with special needs, and there is also a lack of trained educators in this area.
“I haven’t observed enough funding in this field. Educators are not available, but these students require teachers who are specially equipped to address their requirements,” he stated.
A female representative, Ms. Zainab Shomari, stated that Zanzibar still needs to enhance services for individuals with special needs and recommended that facilities should be adapted based on various disabilities whenever feasible.
A female representative, Ms. Tabia Maulid Mwita, stated that certain nursery school educators do not possess the necessary professional credentials, and called on the ministry to guarantee that those working with young children receive appropriate training and certification.
“There are educators without proper credentials instructing these children. It is not feasible for someone with training in a different area to be placed in charge of teaching young students. We need to put an end to this neglect since education holds the utmost importance,” she stated.
Another female representative, Ms. Chumu Kombo Khamis, called on officials to take into account the geographical obstacles impacting students with disabilities, in order to guarantee equitable access to education.
“Let us examine geographical factors and set up facilities in each district where feasible, as in the past, some parents concealed these children, and environmental obstacles also played a role,” she stated.
Member of Parliament Chambani, Mr. Mahmoud Shineni Ali, stated that early childhood and primary education continue to be the basis of learning but still lack adequate attention.
He mentioned that literacy by itself should not be considered the only measure of educational quality, advocating for more attention to skills and real-world abilities.
He further mentioned that graduates from alternative education programs are less competitive due to receiving more theoretical than practical instruction.
“We are allocating significant resources to build large library structures while the world is moving towards digital formats. It would be better to focus on investing in systems that enable students to study from any location rather than solely concentrating on physical libraries,” he stated.
Addressing the worries and bringing the budget discussion to a close, Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Ms. Lela Mohamed Mussa, stated that the government remains committed to carrying out significant changes within the sector, which justifies the substantial funding provided to the ministry.
She mentioned that a number of educational reforms have already been implemented in both standard and technical training programs.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).
