The Victory
In July 2025, the National Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) announced the results of the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ACSEE). Out of 126,925 students who registered, 126,135 sat for the exam, and 125,779 of them passed with Division One to Three. This represents a 99.95% national pass rate. Among those who passed, 62,053 were female students and 64,082 were male students, reflecting significant academic progress and gender equality in education.
This level of achievement indicates significant strides in educational preparedness, improved teaching methods, and the expansion of academic access across Tanzania. Educational institutions have shown strong effectiveness in ensuring students meet essential examination standards. However, behind this success lies a risk of falling short of the Tanzania Development Vision 2050 goal, especially in the education sector.
Our Concern
The foundation of Tanzania’s Vision 2050 relies heavily on education in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). While the overall academic pass rate deserves commendation, STEM results reveal significant challenges that could undermine the country’s educational transformation agenda.
NECTA’s 2025 assessment shows a worrying trend in advanced STEM subject combinations. For students taking Physics, Advanced Mathematics, and Computer Science (PMC), the percentage of those attaining Division One dropped from 62.12% in 2024 to 53.80% in 2025. Additionally, the pass rates for PCM and PCB combinations declined by 6.39% and 1.62% respectively.
This declining STEM performance threatens Tanzania’s broader development goals. Vision 2050 targets 70% digital literacy, yet currently only 34% of citizens possess basic technological skills. And digital literacy goes far beyond using smartphones or browsing the web. It demands coding, data analysis, critical thinking, and the ability to solve complex problems using technology. Yet, the pool of STEM talent is shrinking. Currently, only 18% of graduates are in science-related fields, less than half of the national goal of 40%. Without reversing these trends, Tanzania risks producing a generation unprepared for the innovation-driven economy that Vision 2050 envisions.
Scores to Skills
The root challenge extends beyond curriculum content to infrastructure reality. Over 70% of Tanzanian schools lack functional science laboratories, making practical STEM education a luxury, especially for students in rural and underserved communities. Traditional rote learning, while effective for passing exams, fails to cultivate the critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation skills that drive modern economies.
Digital immersion technologies are revolutionizing STEM education by making the impossible accessible. Platforms like Ekima, which combine 3D simulations, real-world video content, and interactive visualizations, help students in underserved communities gain access to the same quality practical learning experiences as their counterparts in well-equipped urban schools. Such innovations level the playing field, ensuring that geographic location or economic circumstances no longer determine educational opportunity.
Tanzania’s path to Vision 2050 requires more than academic certificates; it demands creative minds equipped with practical skills. By embracing immersive learning technologies, Tanzania can transform its educational landscape from one that produces graduates who memorize the past to one that cultivates innovators who will build the future.
