From Sounds to Sentences: Tanzania's Leap in Early Literacy

To strengthen foundational English literacy from the early years, the Government of Tanzania—through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) and the Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE)—collaborated with Jolly Futures to implement a phased rollout of the Jolly Phonics programme. Building on encouraging results from a 2024 pilot, the first phase launched in mid-2025 across four regions: Arusha, Tabora, Rukwa, and Iringa, which aimed to equip Standard 1 teachers with practical skills and teaching materials to deliver engaging, effective English literacy lessons.

Alongside teacher training, education officers were trained to provide ongoing support through mentoring and digital monitoring using the Jolly Monitor app. This training was delivered by a highly experienced international team of 14 Jolly Phonics trainers. This initiative marks a significant step towards closing early literacy gaps and fostering confident, capable learners by laying a strong foundation in reading and writing in English.

The Jolly Phonics programme has brought significant benefits to both teachers and learners in Tanzania. For teachers and education officers, the structured training provided them with practical tools and confidence to teach early literacy more effectively. Standard 1 teachers were equipped with high-quality resources and gained new skills in delivering engaging, multisensory phonics lessons. Educators reported feeling more empowered and better able to support diverse learners in their classrooms.

For learners, the impact was clear and measurable. Data from the 2024 pilot showed that learners exposed to Jolly Phonics progressed more quickly in their ability to read and write in English compared to those who were not. Children were more confident in identifying sounds, blending them to read unfamiliar words, and writing independently. The programme has helped close foundational literacy gaps and laid a strong base for long-term academic success in English-medium education across Tanzania.

The success of the Jolly Phonics rollout in Tanzania was driven by strong collaboration between the MoEST and Jolly Futures, a division of Jolly Learning Limited. TIE provided strategic leadership, policy alignment, and logistical coordination to ensure the programme met national education goals. They identified priority regions, mobilised teachers and education officers, and facilitated integration into the existing curriculum framework. Jolly Futures, as the implementing partner, provided technical expertise, high-quality training, and essential teaching and monitoring materials. They supported capacity-building for both teachers and education officials and introduced the Jolly Monitor app to help track implementation and learning progress. This partnership ensured that the programme was not only evidence-based but also contextually relevant and sustainable, with clear roles, shared ownership, and a focus on measurable impact.

As part of the first phase of the national rollout of Jolly Phonics in Tanzania, a total of 2,627 Standard 1 teachers across the regions of Arusha, Tabora, Rukwa, and Iringa were trained in how to deliver early English literacy using the Jolly Phonics approach. In addition, 291 education officers—including Ward Education Officers (WEOs), District Academic Officers (DAOs), and School Quality Assurance Officers (SQAOs)—were trained to support, mentor, and monitor the implementation in schools. To support teaching and learning, Jolly Learning Ltd, through its philanthropic division Jolly Futures, donated Jolly Phonics Print Edition Basic Kits to all trained teachers. Each kit included Pupil Books 1 & 2 (Big Book format), 6 classroom posters, and a Jolly Phonics Teacher’s Book. These materials were provided free of charge to ensure quality instruction and to give every child a fair start in learning to read and write in English.

At the beginning of the new semester, in July 2025, Standard 1 classes began using the Jolly Phonics approach to English Literacy. The semester will see on-going used of the Jolly Monitor app to monitor and support lesson implementation, as well to monitor learners’ progress in early grade reading and writing. In early 2026, MoEST in collaboration with Jolly Futures, is planning to begin the next phase of the national rollout of Jolly Phonics. This phase will see further expansion of the programme into additional regions across the country.

Sincere appreciation goes to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), and Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) for their visionary leadership and commitment to improving foundational literacy in Tanzania. Thanks also go to Jolly Futures and Jolly Learning Limited for their generous support, expert guidance, and the provision of high-quality resources that made the rollout of the Jolly Phonics programme possible.

Heartfelt thanks go to the team of dedicated trainers, who worked tirelessly to build the capacity of teachers and education officials, and to all partner organisations who contributed to the successful implementation of the project. Lastly, we commend the teachers and education officers for their enthusiasm, professionalism, and dedication to equipping young learners with essential reading and writing skills. This collective effort marks a significant step towards a brighter, literate future for all Tanzanian children.