This final thrust saw the enactment of Act No. 17 of 1992, establishing the Open University of Tanzania which became operational March 1993, and admitting its first in take of 766 in January 1994. The national library network has been made use of while courtrooms, school and college classrooms have been used as study centres. Science practicals have been conducted in laboratories in existing universities. Human resources in existing institutions have been deployed to produce study materials to provide tutorial services, to carry out assessment of assignments and a host of other activities. Even with its low level of technological development, Tanzania has been able to provide a range of facilities to the University.
Plans are underway to introduce more current and more advanced technologies.
It may be regarded as pilot but this alone is a big step forward in the use of the latest multi-media. There is the recent initiative with radio digital broadcasts through satellites in space over Africa, Asia and North America. This new technology may be out of reach of the many poor potential beneficiaries. But experiences elsewhere in the use of common and shared facilities at Regional Centres, Study Centres or such collective places would make the technology affordable and hence accessible. The Open University of Tanzania is in its fourth year of operation and has gone through a number of hurdles.