How Tanzania’s aspiring female scientists are regaining lost hope

“Life at home was tough. My parents couldn’t afford to send me anywhere else, and I ended up getting married. I thought that was the end of my education,” she says, her voice trembling as she recounts the painful memories.

But a phone call from a friend changed everything.

“She told me there was a scholarship opportunity through the Foundation Programme at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT. Even though I was already pregnant, I decided to apply.”

Today, Rozalia is back in class—thanks to a fully-funded opportunity that is changing the lives of hundreds of girls across Tanzania.

Rozalia is just one of over 400 girls who have enrolled in the Foundation Science Programme under the Higher Education for Economic Transformation (HEET) project.

Implemented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and supported by the World Bank, the programme is a game-changer for young women who once missed out on higher education due to academic underperformance, poverty, or early marriage.

“This programme is not just about education; it’s about restoration and empowerment,” says the Foundation Programme Coordinator at OUT, Ms Sophia Mpokera.

“For the academic year 2024/25, we enrolled 260 female students. We provide everything—tuition, accommodation, transport, tablets, health insurance, and learning materials. It’s a holistic support system.”

From despair to determination

Another beneficiary, Jacklina Furaha, had completed her Form Six studies but couldn’t secure university admission due to a Division III score. She attempted a diploma course in Mining Engineering at the University of Dodoma but dropped out due to tuition fees.

“I had given up. I got married. But then a friend told me about this programme. I applied, my husband supported me, and now I’m here. I even came with my baby, and we’re both well taken care of,” she shares.

Jacklina now hopes to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Mining Engineering once she completes the Foundation Programme. “Next year, I will be back at UDOM—this time stronger and more focused.”

From Zanzibar, Yusra Ally Yusuph echoes similar sentiments. After scoring Division III with 15 points in her Form Six results, she tried to enroll for a diploma but was denied a student loan.

“I had no way forward,” she says. “Then came this chance. It means everything to me. Now, my father has hope again because I’m continuing with my studies.”

The initiative comes at a time when Tanzania is grappling with a significant gender imbalance in science and technology fields. According to data from the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU), less than 30 percent of science students in higher education are female.

In 2022, the Ministry of Education reported that only 18.4 percent of women in tertiary education were enrolled in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programmes.

“This is a worrying trend,” says a higher education researcher and gender expert Dr Anna Mshana. “We risk leaving half the population behind in the most critical areas of innovation and national development.”

Dr Mshana believes that programmes like this are essential to achieving equitable growth.

“We need deliberate interventions that not only recognise the academic setbacks girls face, but also address the underlying social and economic barriers. The HEET initiative is a shining example.”

The Foundation Programme is part of a broader effort by the Tanzanian government to promote science careers among girls. In 2022, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology launched the Samia Scholarship, aimed at funding outstanding female students in STEM fields.

Through the scholarship, hundreds of high-achieving girls have received support to pursue degrees in engineering, health sciences, and IT-related courses. According to MoEST, over 3,000 girls have so far benefited from the Samia Scholarship.

Additionally, the government has committed to re-enrolling students who dropped out of school due to various reasons, including pregnancy. As of 2024, more than 18,347 students have returned to the education system under the re-entry policy.

“These initiatives are building a pipeline of female scientists who will contribute meaningfully to the country’s economic transformation,” notes the recent outgoing Vice Chancellor of the OUT, Prof Elifasi Bisanda.

Pathway to university and beyond

The Foundation Programme is structured to prepare students for university-level science education. Upon completion, graduates qualify for admission into bachelor programmes at public and private institutions across Tanzania.

They also become eligible for loans from the Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (HESLB) and Zanzibar Higher Education Students’ Loans Board (ZHESLB).

“By the end of five years, we expect a significant increase in the number of women entering science disciplines,” Ms Mpokera affirms. Already, some of the first cohort students are now enrolled in degree programmes at UDSM, SUZA, and UDOM and other institutions of higher learning.

The comprehensive nature of the scholarship removes nearly all financial barriers. “We provide transport to and from the centres, tablets for digital learning, full meals, healthcare, and child-friendly policies—some of our students came with babies and helpers,” she adds.

With growing global demand for STEM professionals, this programme is positioning Tanzanian girls to be part of the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.

“Science is not just about lab coats and formulas. It’s about solving problems—from climate change to food security,” says an innovation policy advisor Dr Irene Malecela. “If we invest in girls now, Tanzania could have its first female Nobel Prize winner in science within the next decade.”

For girls like Rozalia, Jacklina, and Yusra, the Foundation Programme has re-ignited dreams they had once buried.

“This is not just an academic journey. It’s a story of resilience, opportunity, and hope,” says Jacklina. “I want my daughter to see that even when life knocks you down, you can rise again.”

And for Tanzania, these individual stories stitch together a national narrative of transformation—one where no girl with a dream to become a scientist is left behind.

As the government continues to champion inclusive education through such initiatives, the Foundation Science Programme remains a beacon of hope. It’s turning what once seemed like the end of the road into a launchpad for Tanzania’s future female scientists.