Browsing by Author "Kajigili, Daudi Anyigulile"

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    Subsidising public primary schooling costs through child-work in Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2014) Kajigili, Daudi Anyigulile
    The study was aimed at examining the extent to which children, particularly those from poor socio-economic backgrounds in Tanzania, contribute towards the financing of their public primary schooling through their involvement in household chores and income generation activities. The study used a case study design that focused on two districts of Kinondoni and Rungwe in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya regions, respectively. This largely qualitative study used interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs) to collect information from head-teachers, classroom teachers, pupils, working children and heads of household. The study also used participant observation and documentary reviews to collect requisite data. The largely qualitative data collected were subjected to content and thematic analysis. The quantitative elements were calculated manually and presented in tabular form.The study established that children as young as 10-15 year-olds from poor socio-economic backgrounds do contribute towards meeting household basic needs and financing of their public primary schooling through their involvement in various household chores and income generation activities. The study found that without such child-work, the majority of these children from poor households would not stay in school and complete their studies. Orphans and children from child-headed households contribute an average ranging from 20-100 percent of their family incomes, part of which goes towards meeting their schooling costs. These school children were found to be an invaluable asset to poor families, whose direct and indirect contribution through production units remains largely unacknowledged. Low incomes in households, coupled with limited government involvement in the education of children from poor backgrounds, were key factors that pushed children into such income generation activities. The study also established that there are socially-beneficial impacts if children’s involvement in child-work is properly channelled to safeguard the education interests of the affected children. Moreover, child-work was found to play a notable custodial function, as during work engagements children are protected from committing illegal acts and behaviour.Therefore, it is recommended that the government should re-think its strategy and subsidise the public education of children from poor backgrounds in a more forthright way so that child-work does not remain a primary means for subsidising such education and for it to remain largely a part of their socialisation process.