UNESCO collaborated with the Ministry of Health to organize the inaugural steering committee meeting for the Global School Health Survey and Global School Health Policies and Practices Survey in Tanzania. The primary objectives of the steering committee, which convened in Dodoma on April 17, 2024, were to secure engagement, commitment, and support from various ministries and endorse the survey’s conceptual framework within the local context.
Comprising high-level officials from the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MoEST), President Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Ministry of Community Development Gender, Women and Special Groups (MoCDGWSG), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), and research institutes such as the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) and Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation Tanzania (CCBRT), the steering committee brought together a range of expertise to ensure the success of these critical surveys.
The school-based surveys provide a thorough and structured approach to collecting data on HIV and sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among students. By utilizing the information gathered from these surveys, policymakers and educators can make informed decisions on the efficacy of school health programs and life skills-based HIV and sexuality education initiatives, enabling them to enhance and adapt national programs to better address the specific needs and issues faced by young people in the country.