Financing Education in Tanzania: Policy Transformations, Achievements and Challenges
By Mohamed Msoroka
Assistant Lecturer
University of Dodoma
Executive Summary
This paper provides an analysis of the policy transformations/changes in the financing of education in Tanzania. The paper surveys the transformations being put in place in primary education, secondary education and higher education/university in various periods to date. The paper summarizes these policy transformations in a way to provide a clear understanding of the situation to the reader. The paper gives the achievements and challenges of the current policy changes in the financing of education so as to help the provision of the third eye to the reader to help him/her to make proper judgments and help to push the wheel forward. The paper provides a summary of financing of primary and secondary education before Primary Education Development Plan (PEDP) and Secondary Education Development Plan (SEDP) and after PEDP and SEDP respectively. Moreover, the achievements and challenges encounter the PEDP and SEDP policies are also surveyed. In the higher/university education, the paper reviews the issue of policy transformations in financing of education since colonial era to date. It gives the achievements and challenges facing the cost-sharing and privatization policies in the higher education policies in Tanzania before arriving to the conclusion.
Table of Contents
1. Background
2. Financing the primary education:
2.1 Historical background
2.2 Policy interventions
2.3 Achievements of the policy interventions
2.4 Challenges facing the primary education that seems policy intervention fail to address
3. Financing Secondary Education
3.1 Historical background
3.2 Policy interventions
3.3 Achievements of the policy intervention
3.4 Challenges facing the secondary education despite the policy implementations
4. Financing University Education
4.1 Background information
4.2 Policy intervention in financing higher education
4.2.1 Cost sharing policy in the university education:
4.2.1.1 Historical background
4.3 Achievements of cost sharing and privatization policy in higher education
4.4 Policy challenges facing the Higher Education in Tanzania
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper aims to analyze the policy transformations in the financing of education in Tanzania across primary, secondary, and higher education sectors to evaluate the resulting achievements and persistent challenges.
- Evolution of education financing policies since the colonial era.
- Implementation and impact of the Primary Education Development Plan (PEDP).
- Implementation and impact of the Secondary Education Development Plan (SEDP).
- The transition to cost-sharing and privatization in higher education.
- Critical analysis of persistent challenges like teacher dissatisfaction, resource shortages, and infrastructural gaps.
Excerpt from the Book
Challenges facing the primary education that seems policy intervention fail to address
One of the big challenges facing primary education sector which the PEDP seems to fail to address is the issue of teacher dissatisfaction state. Teachers seem unsatisfied with their salaries, late salary provision and unpaid debts by the government (Mwananchi newspaper, April 23, 2009; November 21, 2008 p.11 & December 30, 2008 p.7). This results to low teachers’ morale.
Another challenge is the issue of poor housing to teachers. This is also a big challenge to educational sector since many schools have no enough teachers’ houses and some have very poor houses (see the picture of the teacher’s house at Mihuga primary school in figure one). This makes teachers fail to perform their duties properly especially when they are supposed to walk long distance from their home to school (Mwananchi, March, 16, 2010).
The third challenge is concerned with the quality of teachers available in our primary schools. The quality of teachers is questionable because at a particular point of time the teacher training course was reduced from 2 years to 1 year (during the first phase of PEDP) and there is very limited in-service training. Moreover, it is revealed that some teachers in these schools use the forged certificate (Nipashe, 27th, Oct. 2008, p. 11; & Majira, 10th, Jan. 2009). In this aspect the quality of teachers who teach in these schools is questionable and therefore, the quality of education they provide is also questionable.
Summary of Chapters
1. Background: Provides an overview of the sources of education revenue in Tanzania, highlighting the shift from post-independence free education to the current reliance on government and donor funding.
2. Financing the primary education: Examines the PEDP initiative, its success in increasing enrollment and infrastructure, and the ongoing challenges regarding teacher welfare and quality.
3. Financing Secondary Education: Discusses the introduction of the SEDP to manage the transition of primary school leavers, noting significant expansion but persistent hurdles in resource availability and teacher-student ratios.
4. Financing University Education: Reviews the privatization of higher education and the implementation of cost-sharing models, while addressing capacity and funding issues at the tertiary level.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes that while policy transformations have supported development goals, sustainable progress requires deeper commitment and better strategic planning.
Keywords
Education Financing, Tanzania, PEDP, SEDP, Policy Transformation, Primary Education, Secondary Education, Higher Education, Cost-sharing, Privatization, Teacher Satisfaction, Enrolment, Donor Support, Infrastructure, Quality of Education.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the policy transformations regarding education financing in Tanzania, covering the primary, secondary, and higher education sectors.
Which education sectors are analyzed?
The analysis spans primary education, secondary education, and higher/university education.
What is the ultimate goal of the research?
The research aims to offer a "third eye" to readers, helping them understand the achievements and challenges of current education policies to inform better judgment and future progress.
What research methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes a documentary analysis of government policies, statistical reports, and contemporary news accounts of educational developments in Tanzania.
What is the core subject of the main chapters?
The main chapters evaluate the historical context, policy interventions like PEDP and SEDP, and the outcomes regarding funding, enrollment, and persistent systemic challenges.
What are the primary keywords characterizing the work?
Key themes include Education Financing, Policy Transformation, Cost-sharing, Privatization, and Education Sector Development Plans.
How has the introduction of the Primary Education Development Plan (PEDP) affected schools?
PEDP has led to a significant increase in enrollment and infrastructure, such as new schools and desks, although it struggles to address issues like teacher morale and housing.
Why did Tanzania move toward a cost-sharing model in higher education?
The government moved to cost-sharing because it could no longer solely finance free public higher education while meeting other pressing national needs, aligning with wider economic reforms.
- Quote paper
- Assistant Lecturer Mohamed Msoroka (Author), 2010, Financing Education in Tanzania: Policy Transformations, Achievements and Challenges, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/188058
