Education is central to development and a key to attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality and lays a foundation for sustained economic growth.  | Students at the Benjamin Mkapa Primary School in Chamwino Village, Tanzania |
Tanzania has put education at the center of its National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty, known as MKUKUTA (2005-2010) with the aim of ensuring equitable access to quality primary and secondary education for boys and girls, universal literacy among women and men; and the expansion of higher, technical and vocation education. The Primary Education Development Program In July 2001, Tanzania launched the Primary Education Development Program (PEDP), which aimed to improve both access to, and the quality of, education. Financed jointly by the Government of Tanzania, the World Bank and other Development Partners, the PEDP goals include to: - Improve education quality at school level;
- Improve retention and completion of the seven years of primary education cycle for all children,
- Provide equitable access to all children, and
- Build capacity at school, community, district and central government levels.
 | The Benjamin Mkapa Primary School in Chamwino Village - with 395 students in grades 1-7 and 10 teachers, the school was visited by Mr. Wolfowitz during this recent trip to Tanzania. |
From the beginning the Government made it very clear that classroom, furnishing and related facilities had to be in place if equitable access and the physical learning environment was to be improved. This has been possible through the provision of development grants directly to schools for quality improvement (purchase of textbooks and materials, teacher seminars, and school maintenance) which contributes to improved learning outcomes. Results Good progress has been made in achieving both access and quality as indicated in different Government reports, including the Basic Education Statistics of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training ( http://www.moe.go.tz/statistics.html ) . Key achievements include: Increased Access : the Net Enrollment Rate (NER) in Tanzania has improved considerably over the past six years, going from 58.6 percent in 2000 to 96.1 percent in 2006,. Improved Quality : The passrate of students completing primary education, assessed through the Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE), has significantly improved. Over the past six years, the Passrate has improved significantly, going from 22 percent in 2000 to 61.8 percent in 2006, which represents a real improvement in learning outcomes. This was achieved thanks to the inclusion of reforms to address issues on curriculum content and teaching; increased teacher training, development and deployment; better school support systems; improved ability of schools to purchase textbooks and teaching materials by using grants; and greater community participation in managing school affairs to enhance learning. The PEDP is also operating within the context of other reforms which support the development of the education sector, such as the Local Government decentralization and the Public Sector Reforms. While major strides have been made, particularly in primary education, there is still a long way to go to ensure that Tanzania meets its education goals. |
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