During a visit to a secondary school in Dar es Salaam, Malala and former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete called for national action to protect girls’ right to education and global debt reform to unlock funding for it.
Dar es Salaam, July 13, 2025 — Yesterday, Malala and former President Kikwete met with students and teachers at Kibasila Secondary School, and spoke about what it will take to advance all children’s right to learn. During the visit, co-hosted by Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Malala Fund, they discussed the state of girls’ education in Tanzania and the toll of unsustainable debt on national education systems.
Students joined Malala and the former president to address government officials, educators and the media. They spoke about the power of education and the barriers — especially the lack of resources — that stand in girls’ way. Malala called for national commitments — including better implementation of policies to help young mothers go back to school and stronger laws to protect girls from early marriage and violence — and urgent global policy reforms to free up funding for girls’ learning.
The visit to Kibasila School concluded Malala’s multi-day trip to Tanzania focused on listening to and learning from girls, teachers, activists and allies across the country. Throughout her trip, Malala heard directly from girls about challenges to completing their education — including school fees, inadequate facilities, teacher shortages and harmful social norms. Educators and activists highlighted the gaps in implementation of education policies and the need for sustainable domestic funding to deliver on promises to girls.
Debt reform and girls’ education go hand-in-hand
In Tanzania and around the world, girls have big dreams for their future: they want to be lawyers, doctors and engineers. But debt is draining national education budgets and limiting their ability to complete school. In the lowest-income countries, debt repayments take up more government spending than education, health and social protection combined. The global debt crisis — made worse by inflation, climate shocks and unfair international lending rules — forces countries to choose between paying creditors and investing in children’s futures.
Our analysis shows that cancelling even a portion of debt in lower-income countries could free up $506 billion for education over five years. Equitable financial systems can unlock funding for school facilities, teacher salaries, learning materials and menstrual products — all things that girls need to receive quality education and complete school.
A commitment to girls in Tanzania
Malala and our staff heard the stories and perspectives of girls, educators, activists and allies in Tanzania. They reinforce our belief that progress for girls’ education must be guided by those closest to the challenge, and to the solution.
Since 2022, we’ve invested $3.5 million in local partners delivering impact for girls in Tanzania, and in the coming year, we will be investing $1 million more under our new five-year strategy. At the same time, we are advocating for global debt justice so that governments in Tanzania and elsewhere have the domestic resources they need to properly invest in girls’ education. As part of these efforts, Malala is calling on finance ministers to take decisive actions to reform international debt systems ahead of the G20 Summit in South Africa.
As Malala said in her remarks at Kibasila School: “It is time we treat the girls’ education crisis with the urgency it deserves. Let us take our cues from girls and young women themselves — like those here today — who know what they want and need.”
