This dissertation has found that providing services such as infrastructure and welfare services to groups of people who are on the move, has historically been very difficult. Providing services such as education, to a society which is either migratory or just beginning to stabilize, and does not value education, particularly for girls, is seemingly difficult. The Tanzanian Maasai people are the perfect example of such a society. Many problems adversely affect their girls’ enrolment, regular attendance and performance in school: lack of schools, the distance they must walk to go to school, a dangerous environment to walk through, fees, lack of food, poor standards of education in the schools, lack of classrooms, books, desks, teachers and learning supplies, also the transhumant nature of the society and the customs and culture of the community. All these factors are found to greatly affect both boys and girls, but have the greatest impact on girls.
However, the Emusoi Center has provided an approach for keeping these girls in school by involving pastoralist NGOs, churches, government leaders and members of parliament from the pastoralist area. Religious leaders identify possible students, government and Parliament Members use their power to ensure parents allow their girls to attend school, especially in instances where the girls are forced into marriage. The Center monitors the students’ progress at the end of every term and maintains a close contact with the schools in order to follow up the students’ progress. The Center also involves students who have finished their O-level studies as student’s mentor and as a role model to empower the new comers and those already enrolled. They accompany the new students to schools, hospital, and also help with administrative task such as accounting and secretarial work.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature review and theoretical framework
2.1 Overview of girls’ education
2.2 Pastoralist Girls’ Education
2.3 Introduction
2.4 Concept and trends
2.5 Constraints
2.5.1 Policies
2.5.2 Poverty
2.5.3 Traditional practices and culture
2.5.4 Distance between the home and school
2.5.5 Dilapidated structures
2.6. Emusoi Center
2.7 Introduction
2.8 Center capacity
2.9 Duplication
2.10 Approaches adopted by the center
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Methodology
3.1 Methodological approach
3.2 Expected approach to analysis
3.3 Limitation
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 Situational analysis of Maasai girls’ education
4.2 Poverty
4.3 Distance to school and fear of wild animals
4.4 Culture
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This dissertation examines the educational constraints faced by semi-nomadic pastoralist girls in Northern Tanzania, specifically focusing on how the Emusoi Center addresses these barriers to improve access to formal schooling.
- The impact of socioeconomic and cultural factors on girls' education in Maasai communities.
- The effectiveness of institutional and community-based approaches in keeping pastoralist girls in school.
- The role of the Emusoi Center as a transitional space for academic and social empowerment.
- Analysis of national policy gaps regarding pastoralist education and mobile livelihoods.
Excerpt from the Book
2.5.4 Distance between the home and school
Another constraint on educational development in pastoralist community is the long distance covered to and from school. Students may have to walk 15 to 20 km to get to school without food until evening when they come back home. Also there are the problems of crossing flooded rivers, dangers of wild animals as they go to school (EC, 2008: ii; Mlekwa, 1996). Girls are sexually harassed, sometimes raped, by their fellow students, or their teachers, or sometimes by strangers as they walk to school. The pregnancy rates in schools are high, and sexual pressure and other forms of vulnerability are often the major cause of low enrolment of girls in many countries. The situation is even worse when classes are overcrowded which is often characterized by unruly male students, coupled with poor supervision, results in girls feeling threatened and parents fearing for their safety. Also if there are no female teachers, and the school is too far away from home, the resultant effect is less attendance by girls (CIDA, 2007).
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: Provides an overview of the global importance of girls' education and introduces the specific challenges faced by pastoralist communities in Africa, setting the context for the study of the Maasai people.
CHAPTER TWO: Reviews literature on gender and education in developing countries, explores the unique constraints of nomadic life on schooling, and details the specific functions and approaches of the Emusoi Center.
CHAPTER THREE: Outlines the methodological approach of the study, which combines secondary data analysis with field research, including interviews and focus group discussions in Arusha.
CHAPTER FOUR: Analyzes research findings regarding the situational status of Maasai girls' education, highlighting poverty, long distances, fear of wildlife, and cultural barriers as primary inhibitors.
CHAPTER FIVE: Synthesizes the research findings, concluding that while policy attempts exist, they fail to address the realities of pastoralist lives, and advocates for greater support for centers like Emusoi to empower girls.
Keywords
Pastoralist education, Maasai girls, Emusoi Center, Tanzania, nomadic education, gender disparity, school enrolment, social marginalization, educational constraints, poverty, cultural practices, rural development, child labor, primary education, secondary education.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this dissertation?
The research investigates the trends and constraints affecting the education of semi-nomadic pastoralist girls in Northern Tanzania, with a focus on the role of the Emusoi Center.
What are the primary themes addressed in the work?
The study centers on the intersection of pastoralist culture, economic challenges, policy neglect, and the educational opportunities provided by NGOs like the Emusoi Center.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to examine the specific barriers to education for Maasai girls and to analyze how the Emusoi Center facilitates their transition into formal education.
What research methodology was employed?
The study utilized a qualitative approach, combining literature reviews with two weeks of field research, including semi-structured questionnaires and focus group discussions with parents, students, and staff in Arusha.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The work covers historical and current educational policies, cultural norms, socioeconomic obstacles such as poverty and long-distance travel, and the operational model of the Emusoi Center.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Pastoralist education, Maasai, Emusoi Center, gender disparity, nomadic lifestyle, school enrolment, and educational barriers.
How does the Maasai pastoral lifestyle specifically impact school attendance?
The study explains that the need for child labor in herding, coupled with the nomadic nature of the community and the economic reliance on livestock rather than cash, makes formal education difficult to access and maintain.
How does the Emusoi Center specifically assist girls?
The Center provides a transitional environment, remedial education, hostel facilities, scholarships, and ongoing advocacy to help girls bypass cultural and logistical hurdles in accessing secondary education.
- Citar trabajo
- MSc. Musa Argungu Muhammad (Autor), 2008, Pastoralists Girls' Education in Africa: A Study of Emusoi Center in Northern Tanzania, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/139803
