The Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development, East Africa (IED EA) partnered with the Agency for the Development of Educational Management (ADEM) for a momentous occasion – the closing ceremony for 47 graduands of the two-year Diploma in Education Management and Administration (DEMA) programme in Nachingwea, Tanzania. Over 65 people attended the event, including school heads from Lindi region’s four councils: Lindi Municipal, Mtama, Nachingwea and Ruangwa.
The ceremony celebrated the graduands’ achievements, all of whom received funding from the Foundations for Learning (F4L) project. Attendees, including government officials from Lindi’s regional and district education offices, witnessed firsthand the transformative impact of the programme. Graduates demonstrated significant improvement in their teaching and learning practices, particularly in pedagogical areas such as English and Mathematics, gender inclusion and diversity, and ICT integration in the classroom.
Professor Jane Rarieya, Dean of IED EA, emphasized the importance of the core principles that guide the DEMA programme, including gender equity. Gender equity is more than just achieving parity in numbers; it is also about creating an environment in which all individuals, regardless of gender, feel valued, respected and empowered to reach their full potential.
The ceremony featured inspiring presentations by the graduates, who shared compelling success stories highlighting their advancement in leadership roles and personal growth. Their projects showcased innovative solutions to critical educational challenges including proposal writing for resource mobilization, creating vibrant learning environments in early childhood education, gender integration and inclusion, and effective integration of ICT in teaching and learning.
One of the highlights was Onesmo Samuel’s presentation from Mnara primary school in Mtama district, delivered via Zoom from the Arusha. His portfolio illustrated the transformative journey facilitated by the DEMA programme, showcasing practical applications that are driving positive change in Tanzanian schools.
The completion of the DEMA programme marks a significant milestone for Tanzania’s teacher educators, equipping them to champion educational reform and address systemic gaps. AKU remains dedicated to supporting Tanzania’s Ministry of Education in equipping teachers with 21st century skills essential for educational transformation locally and beyond.
