Towards universal primary education: the experience of Tanzania.

• Author: Sitta, Margaret Simwanza

The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania recognizes the central role of education in achieving the overall development goal of improving the quality of life for its citizens. It considers the provision of quality universal primary education for all the most reliable way of building a sustainable future for the country. This is well articulated in the Tanzania Development Vision 2025 and the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty. Tanzania is also a signatory of several international agreements, including on Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

At the nation's independence, the country's leaders proclaimed ignorance as an enemy of progress, together with poverty and disease. Strategies were laid, plans were drawn and investments were made to expand education in the country. Tanzania witnessed an unprecedented development of primary and secondary schools, as well as the establishment of its first university. Primary education was made universal, schools were built in every village and adult education was supported to impart literacy to the many unfortunate citizens who had never seen the inside of a classroom. The result was high enrolment in primary schools and remarkable literacy rates in the country, as well as an increased number of professionals and technicians. Tanzania was one of the countries with the highest literacy rates in Africa, reaching 98 per cent by the mid-1980s.

However, this achievement could not be sustained as a result of economic hardship caused by increased oil prices, high levels of debt servicing, hunger, drought and overall poor economic performance. In response to the implementation of structural adjustment programmes, the Government introduced cost-sharing measures, froze recruitment of teachers and reduced overall spending on education. These measures led to a shortage of teaching and learning materials, non-maintenance of school infrastructure, discontinued classroom construction, as well as a shortage of teachers. These effects resulted in low enrolment, high dropout rates, low performance at national examinations, dilapidated buildings, an uncomfortable learning environment and a decline in completion rates. Cost-sharing had negative effects on the education system, especially for orphans and children from low-income families and vulnerable groups, such as street children, who could not afford to pay school fees and other mandatory contributions. As a...