Transforming STEM Education in Tanzania’s Public Secondary Schools: Policy Pathways for Effective EdTech Integration

• In Event: Data, Technology, and Talent in Education Systems: Policy Pathways to Address Global Learning

Proposal

The integration of Educational Technology (EdTech) has transformative potential, especially for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. In Tanzania, public secondary schools face entrenched challenges such as insufficient resources, limited teacher capacity, and low student performance in STEM creating significant barriers to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on equitable, quality education (MoEST, 2024; UNESCO, 2023; World Bank, 2022). This study explores how national policy frameworks can effectively translate digital transformation into measurable enhancements in STEM learning outcomes within low-resource secondary schools.

The theoretical groundwork for this study draws upon Transformative Policy for Education (Tikly, 2019), which emphasizes equity-driven policy reform, and Critical Digital Pedagogy (Selwyn, 2022), which advocates for technology as a tool for educational empowerment rather than replication of existing inequities. These perspectives are particularly relevant in Sub-Saharan Africa, where digital interventions often fail when divorced from local context and capacity (Trucano, 2021; Unwin, 2019). This study addresses the following research questions:
How do national and regional education policies in Tanzania enable or hinder the integration of EdTech to improve STEM learning in public secondary schools? What policy interventions and practices can effectively align digital transformation efforts with improved STEM learning outcomes and equity in low-resource settings?

This study adopts a qualitative policy analysis complemented by case studies of two public secondary schools in rural Musoma Tanzania. Data triangulation will be pursued through: Reviewed national and regional education and ICT policy documents, to assess policy coherence with equity-focused STEM goals (MoEST, 2024; African Union, 2022). Semi-structured interviews with education policymakers, school administrators, STEM teachers, and students; and Classroom observations of technology-enhanced STEM instruction, such as mobile-based science simulations and ICT-supported peer learning (Hennessy et al., 2022).

Preliminary findings point to notable gaps in 1) teacher digital literacy and professional development, 2) sustainable digital infrastructure and device access, and 3) availability of culturally and contextually relevant digital STEM content (Hauck & Youngs, 2020; Kim & Donovan, 2021). Yet, emergent promising practices such as community-supported ICT hubs and mobile-based STEM simulations underscore the potential of well-aligned policy and implementation efforts. Based on the findings, this paper proposes a policy framework that bridges high-level digital strategy and ground-level educational practice, emphasizing teacher capacity-building, public-private partnerships to sustain infrastructure, and scalable digital tools adapted to local contexts.

By aligning with the CIES 2026 theme “Re‑examining Education and Peace in a Divided World” this study sheds light on how inclusive digital policies can reduce educational inequities, strengthen STEM learning, empower marginalized learners, and ultimately promote social cohesion in Tanzania and comparable Global South settings.

Author

• Maiga Muga, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign