Education in Mara, Tanzania: official figures
85.9% of adults aged 15 and over in Mara could read and write at the 2022 census, up from 80.7% in 2012 (Tanzania: 83.0%); 10th highest of Tanzania's 31 regions.
How many children in Mara go to primary school?
91.2% of children of primary-school age in Mara were enrolled in primary school at the 2022 census (net enrolment rate; Tanzania: 83.3%), 10th highest of Tanzania's 31 regions.
Source: National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar · saved copyHow many secondary schools are there in Mara?
Mara had 309 secondary schools in 2025, 269 government and 40 private, teaching 170,263 students: about 551 per school (Mainland: 528).
Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copyMore figures
- Women in Mara are less likely to be literate than men: 81.8% of women and 90.7% of men aged 15 and over could read and write in 2022 (Tanzania: 79.5% and 86.8%). Source: National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar · saved copy
- 15.5% of people aged four and over in Mara had never attended school at the 2022 census (Tanzania: 19.9%), 10th lowest of Tanzania's 31 regions; 39.0% were in school. Source: National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar · saved copy
- About 566,000 pupils were enrolled in Mara's public and private primary schools in 2025, against 580,000 in 2020 (PO-RALG school census). Source: National Bureau of Statistics · saved copy
How Mara compares with other regions
Adult literacy (aged 15+) (2022)
Mara ranks 10 of 31, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Adult literacy (aged 15+) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Mbeya | 87.9% |
| 8 | Ruvuma | 86.6% |
| 9 | Pwani | 86.4% |
| 10 | Mara | 85.9% |
| 11 | Mwanza | 85.6% |
| 12 | Kaskazini Unguja | 85.4% |
| 13 | Kusini Pemba | 85.2% |
Primary school net enrolment rate (2022)
Mara ranks 10 of 31, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Primary school net enrolment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Njombe | 95.5% |
| 8 | Iringa | 94.1% |
| 9 | Kaskazini Pemba | 93.9% |
| 10 | Mara | 91.2% |
| 11 | Pwani | 89.8% |
| 12 | Mtwara | 89.8% |
| 13 | Mwanza | 89.1% |
More on Mara: overview · economy and jobs · health · poverty and living standards · Tanzania
Sources
- National Bureau of Statistics: Tanzania Statistical Abstract 2025: Tables 3.2, 3.6, 12.3, 12.15, 16.3 and 16.6 (density, birth registration, schools, crime and road deaths by region), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 65b6dcd7d322…)
- National Bureau of Statistics and Office of the Chief Government Statistician, Zanzibar: 2022 Population and Housing Census: Basic Demographic and Socio-Economic Profile, United Republic of Tanzania (regional tables), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 20ed491aac53…)
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