Education in Tanzania

             Because Children’s Global Alliance student volunteers will be working in a school during our service trip, I believe that it is crucial for us to understand Tanzania’s education system and the value the country places on school. I have researched Tanzania and have learned some interesting aspects of their methods of education. I thought that I would share these facts with those following my blog, for it is important for us to gain an appreciation of where CGA will be volunteering and the challenges that arise when teaching in a school in Africa.

Tanzania’s Education system is divided into three realms. The first is primary school. This ranges from grades one to seven. Secondary school ranges from grades eight to twelve. Tertiary education takes a minimum of 3 years, it is very similar to college here in the United States. School is supposedly free until children reach the age of fifteen, but many parents fail to afford the uniforms, school supplies, and examination fees. Despite the challenges that many face, the gross enrolment percent for males in primary school is 92.2 and is 95.1 for females. These are amazing statistics; proving that many children attend school!

Many attend school, so the main question now concerns the quality of the education. “Many children enrolled in school drop out before completing primary education, especially girls. At higher levels of the education system, the situation is even worse: the net enrollment rate for lower secondary education is 30.8 percent, and for upper secondary education only 1.9 percent. The results of a study on the quality of education showed that when Tanzanian children finish primary level their performance is extremely poor with seven out of every ten children unable to read basic Swahili and nine out of every ten children unable to read basic English”( http://www.usaid.gov/tanzania/education).

It becomes clear as to why Children’s Global Alliance volunteers will be working at a school. Student volunteers and chaperones will be working at L.O.A.M.O, a primary school with grades ranging from “baby class” to grade seven. 250 students attend and many cannot afford the uniforms or tuition. Many families donate whatever than can in order for their child to receive a decent education. More than half of the students are on scholarship from the founder, Maria, who started the school in her living room in 2001.

 A goal of mine when working at L.O.A.M. O.  will be to infuse a sense of responsibility to the students and promote application of education. I aim to educate the students on how to use the skills that they learn in class in the real world. I hope to teach the students beyond the classroom, showing them what it means to be efficient and empowered, encouraging them to apply these terms in their own lives.