Optimizing secondary schools’ computer science education to foster a digitally skilled workforce for the Tanzania Development Vision 2050

The Tanzania Development Vision 2050 calls for a digitally skilled workforce to create a prosperous, just, inclusive, and self-reliant economy, responding to the global shift from manual to digital economies. However, little is known about how well computer science education in secondary school is optimized to establish a solid digital foundation for the national workforce. Specifically, the study examined the trends of students sitting for computer science in the certificate of secondary examination, the secondary school leavers’ experience of the computer science subject, and the influence of the computer science subject on the digitally-workforce for Tanzania Development Vision 2050. The study employed an explanatory cross-sectional design, a mixed-methods approach, and human capital theory. Data were gathered through questionnaires from 385 out of 417, 866 students who completed the Certificate of Secondary Education examination between 2017 and 2025, along with nine reports from the National Examination Council of Tanzania. The sample was chosen through stratified sampling techniques in which each year from 2017 to 2025 formed a stratum, and from each, a total of 45 respondents were randomly sampled. The analysis used descriptive, Spearman’s rank correlation, Chi-square, and content analysis techniques. The findings show that out of 4,170, 866 students who completed the Certificate of Secondary Education between 2017 and 2025, only 29,945 (0.7%) studied computer science, suggesting that 99% of these students are digitally illiterate. Additionally, most students view computer science as highly relevant, and it is positively and strongly associated with and influencing a digitally skilled workforce for Tanzania’s National Development Vision 2050. Despite the fact that they desired to study it, the subject was not offered in their schools. Based on these observations, the study concludes that there is an urgent need to teach computer science as a compulsory subject in all secondary schools to drive workforce digitalization for economic growth and sustainable development. Future research could focus on addressing the digital skills gap among students who finished secondary education without computer skills.