Access to quality education remains a pressing challenge across Africa, with EdTech startups emerging as key players in bridging the gap. In Tanzania, the government is increasingly embracing innovative solutions from EdTech companies to drive inclusive and effective learning, particularly in critical areas like Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

One persistent challenge in Tanzania's education landscape is the limited access to practical STEM training. Many schools face a shortage of qualified STEM teachers, a lack of modern teaching tools, and enduring gender disparities in participation. Recognizing these barriers, the government has started to actively collaborate with EdTech startups that offer impactful, scalable solutions.

An outstanding example of this is the recent partnership between Kilimanjaro Planetarium and the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology an EdTech. Kilimanjaro Planetarium is an EdTech startup that implements a STEM project that aims to inspire students to explore careers in science and innovation through capacity building in STEM subjects. This collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at advancing the use of space science in STEM education. Kilimanjaro Planetarium, a participant in the first cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in Tanzania, is at the forefront of using immersive learning experiences to spark curiosity and improve educational outcomes. The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship program is an acceleration program, focused on scaling EdTech startups in partnership with innovation hubs in African countries, - Tanzania included.

At the heart of the partnership lies an ambitious initiative: leveraging the Kilimanjaro Mobile Planetarium to deliver engaging, hands-on STEM outreach sessions in 10 public schools across Tanzania, reaching thousands of learners. These sessions will include practical experiments and interactive lessons rooted in space science, designed to reinforce key concepts in Geography, Physics, and Mathematics.

“The goal is to inspire and prepare the next generation of Tanzania's space workforce, especially as the country moves toward establishing the Tanzania Space Agency and launching its first satellite. Through this program, we aim to build national capacity and encourage students to pursue careers in STEM fields,” said Musa Mishamo, Founder & CEO, Kilimanjaro Planetarium

This approach doesn't just teach science—it brings it to life, encouraging students to see STEM not as abstract theory, but as a gateway to solving real-world problems and exploring future careers.

Reaching Underserved Learners

This milestone builds on Kilimanjaro Planetarium's existing efforts to reach learners in remote and underserved communities—groups that are often left out of the digital education revolution. With this new partnership, the startup is poised to expand its reach even further, empowering public-school students with innovative, world-class STEM experiences.

The Power of Public-Private Partnership in Building Sustainable EdTech Ecosystem

This partnership underscores the growing recognition of EdTech startups as vital contributors to national education goals. While support from global development partners like the Mastercard Foundation and innovation hubs like Sahara Consult plays a crucial role in scaling these startups, government collaboration is the key to sustainable, system-wide impact.

By working hand in hand, innovators and public institutions can transform Tanzania's education landscape - one classroom, one student, one inspiring experience at a time.