International Literacy Week 2025 in Tanzania
When policy, practice, and partnership move together, literacy becomes a pathway to dignity, livelihoods, and national development.
A Nationwide Celebration of Lifelong Learning — Katavi, 15–19 September 2025
Every year, Governments, civil society and communities around the world mark International Literacy Week, reaffirming literacy as both a right and a foundation for participation in social and economic life. Here in Tanzania, commemorations are typically a suite of activities: a two-day technical work session led by the President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) for Adult Education practitioners at regional and district levels; a National Policy Symposium led by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST); and public exhibitions on open grounds where learners, ministries, government institutions, international and local NGOs, and public and private organisations present products, best practices, publications, and more.
This year, ILW was celebrated in Katavi Region, in western Tanzania near Lake Tanganyika and Kigoma. Why Katavi? Katavi has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the country—making it a fitting place to underscore the value of education. Under the theme “Kukuza Kisomo katika Zama za Kidigitali kwa Maendeleo Endelevu ya Taifa letu,” translated as “Promoting Literacy in the Digital Age for Sustainable National Development,” the week brought together government leaders, Adult Education Officers, the Institute of Adult Education, development partners, and community groups to connect literacy, digital skills, and livelihoods. The preparation records indicate a peak-day turnout of around 1,200 participants, providing clear evidence of the government's investment and dedication to Adult Learning and Education (ALE).
ICBAE Programme at the Centre: Orientation & National Handover
During ILW, DVV International is proud to have officially disseminated and handed over the revised Integrated Community-Based Adult Education (ICBAE) programme to MoEST during the symposium, in front of all participants—26 Regional Adult Education Officers (RAEO), 184 District Adult Education Officers (DAEO), the leadership of 26 Regional Education Officers, officers from MoEST and PO-RALG, development partners, and government institutions. The Ministry of Educatuion affirmed the need for clear guidance and instructed PO-RALG to distribute the guidelines and ensure use at the regional, district, and ward levels. DVV International technically supported the revision of the ICBAE programme guidelines in close cooperation with MoEST and PO-RALG. In addition, during the technical working session, we delivered an orientation on the revised ICBAE Programme, demonstrating how community-anchored literacy integrates with livelihoods and digital skills at Community Learning Centres (CLCs).
From Deliberation to Action: Resolutions of the Technical Working Sessions
As we closed the technical working sessions, we agreed on concrete resolutions to maintain momentum and implement what was discussed.
Each council will allocate funding for ALE implementation—beginning from at least TZS 7,000,000—to underpin operations and honoraria;
a quarterly dashboard will track participation, inclusion of women, youth, and persons with disabilities, and the livelihoods outcomes that make learning stick;
partners commit to reducing dropout by at least 30% across adult education classes and to improving reporting, including statistics on learners who return to formal schooling via the PTO pathway;
every council will establish at least one CLC and run a minimum of five literacy classes;
and over the next year, work will focus on peer-review CLC expansion, short Continuing Programme Development modules on digital facilitation, inclusive pedagogy, and market linkages, and a co-financing model to equip more CLCs with connectivity.
These resolutions align with the Government's vision, as emphasised by Hon. Mwanamvua Mrindoko, Katavi Regional Commissioner (delivering the Prime Minister’s address), who highlighted ALE’s role in national transformation—enabling citizens to adopt new technological approaches that improve productivity and resource use, and helping adults and youth acquire income-generating skills that contribute directly to the economy.
CLCs in the Digital Era: Symposium Highlights & Documentary
Beyond the handover of the revised ICBAE programme implementation guidelines, the value of CLCs in the digital era was a core theme—reflected both in the resolutions and in the panel discussions at the symposium. Panels explored opportunities for CLCs, we discussed how CLCs can serve as a community engine for digital transformation: offering shared connectivity and devices (computers, smartphones, TV) as entry points to digital literacy; running facilitator-led digital skills sessions; using open platforms such as MOJA to keep learning alive beyond the classroom; and embedding hands-on projects where learners design clothes, access agro-fisheries information and market their products through the use of smartphones and TV. Together, these interventions turn the CLC into a practical bridge between literacy and livelihoods, especially for women, youth and persons with disabilities.
For a deeper look at digital opportunities at CLCs,
watch our 10-minute short documentary—introduced as part of the panel—following young people along the coast as they use computers, smartphones, and edu-TV to accelerate learning and apply it in entrepreneurship, tailoring, agriculture, and fisheries, with open resources that keep learning alive beyond the classroom.
Watch here: https://lnkd.in/dDiu7NHq
Due to its high potential, participants in the symposium ended with a shared emphasis on practical implementation—connecting policy, funding, and quality assurance to day-to-day facilitation at CLCs; strengthening data use through simple tools; and expanding inclusive access so women, youth, and persons with disabilities can fully benefit. These messages fed directly into the week’s resolutions, ensuring discussions translate into measurable actions.
District Celebrations Across Tanzania
In Tanzania, we do not always celebrate on the exact date of 8 September (ILD); rather, we mark the occasion through public exhibitions at district level and regional events leading up to the national ILW. Across districts, celebrations were extensive—ranging from cultural performances and learner showcases to practical demonstrations that made ALE tangible to communities. As DVV International, we supported commemorations in Kibaha, Kisarawe, Mpwapwa, and Kongwa as part of this national effort. In Kisarawe (Mzenga CLC) and Kibaha (Mtambani CLC), the one-day gatherings brought together about 100 participants each and blended keynote remarks with exhibitions of learning materials, learner testimonies, and cultural performances led by CLC learners and facilitators—local snapshots of the larger, countrywide celebration.
Regional Lens: Dodoma’s Momentum in Practice
Regionally, Dodoma offered a clear picture of policy landing in practice. The Regional Education Office hosted ILW commemorations, anchoring activities in the national theme while mobilising communities into key programmes. The celebrations highlighted the success of various Government programmes as it was mentioned by the Regional Commissioner of Dodoma during her Keynote speech “ Government programmes provides thousands of youth and adults with a second chance at education—For example, we have ICBAE Programme groups (1,320 learners) who combine literacy with practical skills in improved agriculture, animal husbandry, and entrepreneurship; Mpango wa Elimu ya Msingi Kwa Waliokosa (MEMKWA) - 571 learners; and Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQUIP–AEP) - 927 adolescents and youth enrolled. The blend of cultural performance, programme orientation, and learner testimony showed how ALE connects everyday livelihoods to lifelong learning across the region.
Exhibitions & Public Engagement at Katavi
Back at the national ILW commemorations in Katavi, exhibitions were vibrant and engaging. More than twenty booths—spanning government departments, civil society, development partners, and community groups—showcased how literacy links to digital skills, entrepreneurship, and everyday problem-solving. The grounds were open to the public each day; during the opening, the Rector of the Institute of Adult Education toured the stands, followed by the Deputy Permanent Secretary for Higher Education (MoEST), and on the peak day the Regional Commissioner for Katavi. At the DVV International booth, we presented publications, guidelines, and manuals, while ICBAE programme groups from DVV International-supported districts displayed innovations..
Conclusion
International Literacy Week 2025 in Tanzania was, above all, a celebration of learning as a public good and a shared responsibility. From district gatherings across the country to the National Finale in Katavi, the week affirmed a simple truth: when policy, practice, and partnership move together, literacy becomes a pathway to dignity, livelihoods, and national development.
To sustain digital literacy gains at CLCs, CSO, government and communities must invest in adequate funding, a supported capacitated educators workforce, fit-for-purpose facilities, and reliable ICT tools and connectivity—so that learners can access resources, practise skills, and apply them in real livelihoods. DVV International is honoured to contribute to this efforts as a reliable partner within Tanzania’s broader adult education system and lifelong learning framework.
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