Browsing by Author "Mbilinyi, Simon M."

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    The decision to educate in rural Tanzania.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1972) Mbilinyi, Simon M.
    The decision to Educate in Rural Tanzania explores the major factors that determine the decisdion to educate; the relationship between the formal educational system and stratification in rural areas and peri-urban centres; and educational opportunities for girls. Part 1 includes a discussion fo the major problems with respect to education, stratificaation and sexism in Tanzania and an historical analysis of the evaluation of Tanzanian educational policy. Section I1 is concerned with the theoretical framework of the investigation, and includes an analysis of decision-making and rationality, the peasant economy in Tanzania, the role of women in changing Tanzanian society, and household decision-making. Section III focuses on the empirical investigation: the theoretical models, research design, study areas, and the findings based on cross-tabulation analysis as well as regression analysis. Part IV analyses the theoretical and historical significance of the findings and presents some tentative policy implications. The findings indicated that there is differential enrolment of children in school depending on the stratum level of the household. Households were found to discriminate against girls with respect to school enrolment, especially those at the middle and low levels. Attitudes (towards children, education and women) were found to have an independent influence on the dicision to educate at all stratification levels. Educational opportunity depended upon the community in which a household was situated. The major policy implication is the need to intensify the industrialization and collectivization of the rural sector. An alternative educational structure to the one in force now is suggested. The most important conclusion is that peasant behaviour is rational, and that the major obstacles to economic development in Tanzania are not peasant attitudes or other psychological attributes, but rather the social and economic conditions which determine the situation in which peasants live and work.