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Joseph Mungai
Minister of Education and
Culture
Born in 1943, Hon. Joseph Mungai is
a graduate of Colorado University (Economics Institute)
and Harvard University (Kennedy School of Government)
with a Master of Public Administration (MPA 1980).
He was Minister of Agriculture (1972-75 and 1980-82)
under former President Julius Nyerere the founding
father of Tanzania. From 1983-2000, he was Founder
Chairman of Mufindi Education Trust (MET), a district
level NGO which has founded 10 non-state community
self help co-education secondary schools now with
nearly 4000 students which boosted primary-secondary
progression from 1.6% to 30% in Mufindi District
for which he has been an elected Member of Parliament
from 1970-to date. In 1995 with his wife, confounded
Southern Highland School a boarding co-education
English medium primary school with 300 pupils
at their home (Mafinga, Mufindi District). In
November 2000, he has appointed Minister for Education
and Culture in the Government of Tanzania and
considers his appointment as recognition of the
role of civil society in the provision of Education
for All (EFA). Under his stewardship primary school
enrolment has increased from NER of 58% and GER
of 77.6% to NER of 90.5% and GER 106.3% in 2004
while during same period end-of-primary pass rate
has increased from 19% to just above 40%. He is
confident Tanzania shall achieve all Dkar 2000
Education for All targets and educational Millennium
Development Goals within the next few years. |
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Haroun Ali Suleiman
Minister of Education,
Culture and Sports, Revolutionary Government of
Zanzibar
Born in 1953, Honourable Haroun Ali
Suleiman is a graduate in Education of Bristol
University (U.K.). He was appointed Minister of
Education, Culture and Sports in 2000 after being
elected Member of House of Representatives, Revolutionary
Government of Zanzibar for 2000 – 2005.
He has also served in various capacities: Principal
Secretary (1996-2000); Deputy Director Planning
(1993-5). He was teacher and Education Planner
for 22 years. He is keen in gender issues and
straightening Basic Education.
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| Education and social inclusion
in Tanzania
Tanzania started operationalizing the
Education Sector Development Program UESDP) in 2002
by implementing the Primary Education Development Plan
(2002-2006) wich had 4 major objectives namely:
- Expansion of Enrolment
- Improvement of quality
- Capacity building
- Strength institutional arrangements
The five-year plan (2002-2006) covers
the whole country and aims at bringing on board girls,
children from migrating communities, street children
and disabled children. Implementation is a shared endeavour
between the government and the communities. For example,
in construction of school building, the government provides
development grants while communities contribute both
self help labour and limited financial contributions.
In implementing the plan, the following
strategies were undertaken:
- The Government abolished school fees in primary
schools to enable all 7 years old children to be enrol
into Grade One. This action was taken because many
children from poor families were not being enrolled
or were dropping out before completion because of
lack of school fees causing decline of NER to 58%
by 2000.
- It was made compulsory by law to enrol all 7 years
old children including girls, street children and
disabled children, and remain in school until completion
of primary education at age 13. This has boosted Gross
Enrolment Ration (GER) to 106.3 and Net Enrolment
Ratio (NER) to 90.1 in 2004. However in Secondary
Schools enrolment remains low with a Gross Enrolment
Ratio 12.9% in 2004 and Net Enrolment Ration of 8.4%
in 2004. The Government has started implementation
of the Secondary Education Development Plan (SEDP)
2004-2009 which aims at improving quality of secondary
education and expansion of enrolment to NER of 50%
by 2010 which entails an increase of students from
430 000 this year (2004) to 2 000 000 by 2010.
- Improvement of the teaching / learning environment
by constructing new classrooms and rehabilitation
of old classrooms, provision of textbooks and other
teaching and learning materials as well as desks.
- The government provides capitation grant of 10US$
per child per year for the purchase of essential school
materials.
- Recruitment of quality teachers: as more children
were enrolled in school, more quality teachers were
required, and in order to meet this demand, the government
reviewed the curriculum for primary school teachers
so that they spent one year in college followed by
one year in-service training. This programme has proved
to be very effective as the teachers produced through
this programme are capable, and teacher shortage has
been reduced in a short time.
- Construction of teachers’ houses in order
to improve their working conditions and as an incentive.
- Teachers’ salary schemes have been reviewed
upwards in order to attract more young men and women
into the teaching profession.
- The Government abolished fees and school uniform
for Teachers Colleges for Grade A teacher trainees
so that those who cannot afford can also join Teachers
Training Colleges (TTCs) and become teachers.
- Over-aged children are enrolled in a special programme
called Complementary Basic Education in Tanzania (COBET)
which provided them with primary education within
4 years using special informal methods and materials.
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