What We Do / Focus Areas​

Key Focus Areas for Development and Improvement

Our major priorities revolve around three key strategic areas that are essential for our growth and success in the ever-evolving market landscape.

Evidence Generation

HakiElimu generates evidence of the learning and teaching environment in Tanzania through research, policy and budget analysis, and by piloting innovative initiatives. Some key recent studies:

  • Magnitude of Violence Against Children in School and barriers to prevention.
  • Factors that hinder and facilitate best performance in national examinations.
  • Girls Basic Education in Tanzania: a focus on factors that affect Girls’ Retention and Transition Rates.
  • An Assessment of the Learning and Teaching Environment for Pre-Primary education in Tanzania.
  • An Examination of Learning and Participation of Visually Impaired Students in Inclusive Schools.
  • Impacts of implementing the fee free education policy.
  • Review of Education and Training Policy: The Education We Want.
  • Policy and Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights Education in Primary and Secondary Education in Tanzania.
  • The Political Economy of Early Childhood Development in Tanzania Mainland.
  • Reintegration of Teenage Mothers into Formal Secondary Schools in Tanzania.
Government Engagement

We use evidence to develop policy and budget recommendations for government. We engage government through the established local education dialogue structures such as Education Sector Development Committee (ESDC), Technical Working Groups (TWG) and Annual Joint Education Sector Review (AJESR) to advance core HakiElimu agenda in equity and quality of learning.

Creating National Awareness

HakiElimu produces evidence-based media campaigns targeting both citizens and policy makers with messages and calls to action. We utilize a number of platforms including publications, IVR, SMS, television, national and local radio, and social media.

Testing What Works

HakiElimu produces evidence-based media campaigns targeting both citizens and policy makers with messages and calls to action. We utilize a number of platforms including publications, IVR, SMS, television, national and local radio, and social media.

Strategic Focus

Equity and Quality Learning for all Children

We advocate for Government to develop and implement evidence-based policies that promote accessibility, equity and inclusive quality education in a friendly an protective environment.

Transparency and Accountability in Education Budgeting

We engage MPs before, during, and after the budgeting process to influence education budget allocation, approval, and disbursement. We conduct pre- and post-budget surveys and share the findings with MPs to inform them of their discussions during budget sessions.

Enhanced District and School Leadership

Once budgets are approved, we focus on oversight bodies, such as Local Government Authorities (LGA’s), head teachers, and school committees, building their capacity to understand policies and budgets and their roles in implementing them.

Communities holding schools and leaders accountable

HakiElimu works through citizens/Friends of Education who implement Social Accountability Monitoring (SAM) and Public Expenditure Tracking Surveys (PETS) to monitor accountability levels and specifically the utilization of resources allocated by the government against funding spent on planned education activities to combat resource misuse.

Partnership and Collaboration

HakiElimu strengthens partnership and collaboration with like-minded CSOs to advocate for access to information, policy change, and amendment of repressive laws. We work with national and international CSOs to promote and embrace national, regional, and international joint learning initiatives amongst CSOs to strengthen capacity and influence policy. HakiElimu is leveraging its expertise to support shared learning and capacity building at the national and regional levels. We are leading several learning networks, such as the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) and Coalition of Good Schools (CoGS). We are also the current Chair of the Policy Forum Budget Working Group.

Our Focus on Transparency and Accountability;-
  • Access to information, freedom of expression, and association.
  • Citizen participation in the budget processes.
  • Budget openness through timely publication of budget documents.
  • Policy planning and implementation reflecting citizens’ priorities.
  • Resource allocation in the education sector is to reflect international commitment ratified by the government

Strategic Focus

Government transparency, responsiveness and accountability

We promote and advocate for transparency and accountability in providing quality education. Our approach to increasing government and stakeholders’ responsiveness and accountability involves working with oversight bodies and other civil society organizations to improve the planning processes and influence the approval and expenditure of public resources/budgets for education.

Empowering Citizens

Lasting change must be driven by citizens at community and national level. Working through our grassroots network of more than 45325 Friends of Education(Community based organisations and individuals who volunteer their time and skills to transform education) we empower and enhance the voice and participation of all citizens (including those who are marginalized because of their gender, level of ability or income), so they can assume ownership of their development and to advance democracy.

We achieve this by; –

  • Translating complex concepts and policies into easy to understand information (e.g. Comic books)
  • Capacity building of Friends of Education, providing them with the knowledge and tools.
  • Creating platforms for Friends of Education to participate in dialogue and decision-making structures at local and national level.
Citizens Transforming Education

Friends of Education monitor school performance to identify local education challenges and raise awareness of these challenges through Theatre for Development, local radio talk shows and imaginative public dialogues. The Friends of Education use these platforms to promote creative local solutions to effect social change that will improve education.

The Friends of Education, with support from HakiElimu are:

  • Strengthening school committees and child protection committees.
  • Leading dialogue with parents and teachers on VAC and girls’ rights.
  • Mobilizing community support and funds for school infrastructure development and feeding programmes.
  • Identifying and supporting girls at risk of dropout.
  • Forming and supporting school-based gender clubs – building their capacity in life skills, leadership and SRHR, including how to make reusable sanitary products.
Citizen Engagement has contributed to:
  1. Increased reporting of VAC cases: a number of children have been rescued from child marriage and supported to return to school or transferred from unsafe environments.
  2. Increased school attendance among girls and boys: This is due to improved access to sanitary products and school feeding programmes.
  3. Improved school performance of girls (due to improving attendance (in some schools, girls are in the top 10 learners for first time ever).
  4. Reducing stigma around menstruation issues.
  5. Men and boys are speaking up for girls’ rights Improved learning environments (latrines and wash facilities, class rooms for pre-primary).

Strategic Focus

Citizens participation and engagement

We promote citizen participation in the provision and monitoring of equitable, inclusive, and quality education.

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