In a gesture of continued cooperation on continental matters affecting education, Basic Education Deputy Minister, Dr Reginah Mhaule, engaged in a high-level bilateral engagement with a Tanzanian delegation led by Hon Wanu Hafidh Ameir, the Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology of Tanzania in Cape Town on 24 March 2026. Deputy Minister Mhaule invited the Tanzanian delegation to join her as observers during a Parliamentary session later in the afternoon for a South African National Legislative perspective experience.

Deputy Director-General (DDG) for Delivery and Support, Ms Simoné Geyer, led a delegation to Tanzania at the instruction of former Minister, Ms Angie Motshekga, from 25-29 July 2022, to discuss and finalise Implementation Plans between the two countries. Deputy Minister Mhaule explained, during the engagement, that “the current Implementation Plan focuses on Strengthening Curriculum Innovation and Development; Teacher Development; Teaching and Learning Kiswahili Language; Learning and Teaching Support Material (LTSM); National Assessment and Examinations; and Exchange of delegations and participation by education representatives”. The plan was then signed by Director-General, Mr Mathanzima Mweli, and his Tanzanian counterpart, Prof Carolyne Nombo, the Permanent Secretary of the Tanzanian Ministry of Education, Science and Technology during April 2023, with a sideline engagement during the 2023 UNESCO General Conference on 10 November 2023.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) cemented the partnership between the two countries, especially on assisting South Africa with the establishment of Kiswahili language in South African schools. The DBE initiated a process to list Kiswahili Second Additional Language (SAL) in the National Curriculum Statement. The listing of Kiswahili as a non-official language does not make it a compulsory subject for learners. For this reason, the DBE is pursuing each province to identify 10 schools to offer Kiswahili as an optional subject.

Deputy Minister Mhaule added that “the Department of Arts and Culture assisted the DBE with the versioning of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) SAL into the Tanzanian version of Kiswahili, and that eight provinces will be participating in the pilot with the exception of the Western Cape. The orientation of 25 subject advisors and 22 teachers was conducted with the LTSM for Kiswahili being made available electronically by Tanzania. A list of schools that will form part of the pilot was shared and the LTSM Directorate is ready to distribute the material to those schools when the pilot commences. The next step will be continuing the sharing of teaching resources, including digital content, readers, and assessment exemplars; potential development of supplementary Kiswahili materials suitable for SA learners; and strengthening LTSM delivery before the pilot starts. In addition, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) are already offering Kiswahili”. Dr Mhaule closed the engagement with an overview of Early Childhood Development (ECD).  

Hon Wanu Hafidh Ameir welcomed the renewal of the MoU, along with continued collaboration, indicating that best practice shared will assist with the education reforms currently underway in Tanzania.

Deputy Minister Mhaule was supported by a team of DBE Senior Managers, comprising of Ms Ncedile Mdhluli, Director in the Deputy Minister’s Office; Ms Hleki Mabunda, Director for International Relations and Multilateral Affairs (IR&MA); Ms Maureen Modiba, Director for Curriculum Implementation and Quality Improvement (GET); Mr Mboni Nematangari, Chief Education Specialist, Curriculum Implementation and Quality Improvement (GET); and Ms Nomsa Shabangu, Deputy Director, IR&MA. The DBE will be hosting the Tanzanian National Examinations Council (NECTA) from 7-10 April 2026, to strengthen collaborative efforts and promote the sharing of best practice in assessment, examinations, and quality assurance to further mutual learning and the enhancement of systems that support teaching and learning across the basic education sector.