Power Her Future: School Electrification for Girls’ Education & Opportunities in Tanzania

The blog post contains information from “Power Her Future: School Electrification for Girls’ Education & Opportunities in Tanzania,” report co-authored by five participants of the Student Energy Career Training (SECT) Programme: Jasmine Ansah-Antwi, Kamil Jemilat Idowu, Karelle Donaïgue Fotso Mamno, Mary Mesfin Tadesse and Nduvho Makakavhule. 

What does it take to keep a girl in school and to help her thrive once she’s there? For millions across Sub-Saharan Africa, the answer is not only books, teachers, or classrooms. It is also something more fundamental: electricity.

The newly released report Power Her Future: School Electrification for Girls’ Education & Opportunities in Tanzania brings this reality to light. The report explores how access to reliable energy in schools can unlock educational opportunities, particularly for girls.

At a time when 272 million children remain out of school globally—and nearly half of them are girls—the consequences are profound. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where girls represent over 55 percent of out-of-school youth, the barriers to education are persistent and deeply interconnected.

Where Energy & Education Intersect

In Tanzania, progress has been made: by 2023, about 60 percent of primary schools and 70 percent of secondary schools had access to electricity. Yet access alone does not guarantee reliability or equity.

For many students, especially girls, poorly lit classrooms, unreliable power, and limited access to digital tools create daily obstacles. In rural areas, these challenges are compounded by long travel distances, household responsibilities, and safety concerns. The result is telling: approximately 75 percent of girls in rural Tanzania drop out before completing primary school, compared to 25 percent in urban areas. 

The report highlights a critical insight: energy poverty and education inequality reinforce one another. Without electricity, schools cannot provide safe learning environments, enable evening study, or support digitalization. These gaps disproportionately affect girls, whose time and mobility are often more restricted.

As the authors note, this is not just an educational issue—it is systemic. The rural-urban divide reflects deeper inequalities that shape girls’ future employment prospects, earning potential and social mobility.

“Reflecting these global patterns, this gender inequality is mirrored in Tanzania. Unequal energy access is primarily geographic, reflecting urban–rural divides with lasting effects on education and livelihoods. Across educational levels, gender gaps persist in enrolment, retention and completion rates, underscoring how inequitable access to energy continues to reinforce broader educational disparities.” (p. 31)

What Electrification Changes

Drawing on field research across Dar es Salaam, Dodoma and Kigoma, the report provides compelling evidence on what happens when schools are reliably electrified.

Respondents consistently reported three transformative impacts: extended study hours, allowing girls to learn beyond daylight; improved safety and security within school environments; and access to digital tools and science equipment that enhance learning.

Among these, access to technology emerged as the single most impactful change for female students.

This matters not only for academic performance but also for future opportunities. Electrified schools enable girls to build digital literacy, engage with Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) subjects, and develop skills needed in low-carbon and transitioning economies. In doing so, they create a direct pathway from the classroom to the workforce.

“Young people aged 15 to 24 make up 16 percent of the global population, representing the workforce of the future who will drive the energy transition, green industrialisation, and sustainable development. Equipping this demographic, especially young women, with reliable energy access and quality education is therefore both a social investment and an economic strategy.” (p. 10)

A Climate & Development Imperative

The implications extend beyond education. Research cited within the report demonstrates that educating girls strengthens climate action by advancing reproductive health, increasing women’s leadership in environmental decision-making and building green skills for emerging industries.

Electrified schools contribute to this broader development agenda. Learning environments that are reliably and affordably electrified reduce reliance on fossil fuels and biomass, aligning with global climate and development goals. They also support national productivity by preparing a more inclusive, skilled workforce.

In this sense, school electrification is not just about infrastructure—it is a catalyst for sustainable development.

From Insight to Action

The report outlines clear, actionable recommendations to close the gap: scale last-mile school electrification through hybrid solar systems that reduce costs and outages; integrate gender targets into national energy and education programmes so outcomes are tracked and addressed jointly; provide financing and technical support for rural school connections, with special attention to affordability and maintenance; and strengthen community awareness, community engagement, and girls’ participation in STEM.

“Bridging the school-level electrification gap is critical to achieving Tanzania’s commitments to SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). Practical implementation of these goals requires not only infrastructure expansion but also gender-responsive policies, financing, and community engagement that ensure every child, especially every girl, can learn in an electrified, safe, and inspiring environment.” (p. 9)

Powering Her Future

At its core, this report tells a larger story: electrifying schools is not simply about powering buildings—it is about powering potential.
When girls learn in well-lit classrooms, access digital tools and are exposed to pathways into STEM and energy careers, the impact extends far beyond the school. Girls and women who are empowered through electrified education demonstrate that innovation and equality can grow together.

In all, electrification, education, and gender equality are not separate challenges. They are interconnected pathways towards a more inclusive and sustainable future. Investing in school electrification is, ultimately, an investment in girls—their education, their futures, and their ability to lead in shaping our world. 

The Authors’ Reflections