Prospects and limitations of implementing education for self-reliance in secondary schools: the case of productive activities in Kilimanjaro region

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to examine factors and other relevant circumstances which enhance or hinder the implementation of ESR in selected secondary schools in one region/province in Mainland Tanzania with special focus on productive activities such as school farms, gardens, dairy projects, carpentry units, canteen projects, school shops, etc. Six schools in Kilimanjaro Region/Province were selected namely Ashira Girls’ Secondary School; Moshi Technical Secondary School; Lyamungo Secondary School; Same Boys Secondary School; Shauritanga Secondary School (formerly Mashati); and Shighatini Secondary School. The sampled schools included urban and rural based schools; single and co-educational schools; private and public (government controlled); as well as schools with any of the biases such as Home Economics Technical, Agriculture, and Commerce. The study area covered all the districts in Kilimanjaro region. The main instrument for obtaining data was questionnaire for student respondents and a similar but slightly different questionnaire for staff/teacher respondents. This study is organized in four chapters. In chapter one, the author defines the problem (the theoretical context) of the study and gives details of the research methodology including specific objectives and hypothesis of the study, sampling frame, data collection techniques, literature review, significance of the research and limitations of the study. Then, in chapter two the author gives an overview of colonial education policies and practice as a necessary background to understanding the socio-economic context out of which the philosophy and policy of ESR was formulated almost immediately after the Arusha Declaration in early 1967. Chapter three is a substantive chapter in which the researcher presents and discusses/analyses the data and other information generated from the study. Finally, chapter four, the concluding chapter, gives a summary of the study, some highlights of the findings, and suggested policy recommendations arising from the findings and/or observations of the study.