User Charges and Education Participation of Disadvantaged Children in Primary School in Tanzania

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Date
2004
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of user charges on education participation of disadvantaged children in Tanzania. Specifically, the study aimed at quantifying the annual direct and indirect private costs, which Dar es salaam parents incur by having a child or children in either public or private primary school. The study also investigated effects of these costs on attendance, dropout, retention and non-completion rates for boys as well as girls from inner cities and Dar es salaam rural area. It also examined the condition of human resources, physical resources and textbooks in the desired schools. The human capital investment perspective and the idea of education as a birthright quided the literature survey such that they provided the study’s theoretical framework. The cross-sectional sample consisted of 190 respondents of whom 96 (50.5%) were males while 94 (49.5%) were females. The study employed questionnaire, interview, and documentary review. And non. Participant observation as data collection instruments. The SPSS Computer programme was used for data analysis. The independent sample t-test was used to compare average costs, attendance, dropout, retention rates, teachers quantity pupil to teacher ratio, and classroom to pupil ratio. The following were the findings of the study: differences in the mean total direct and indirect private costs between public as well as private primary school were found to be statistically significant. Differences in the mean attendance, dropout and retention rates between public as well as private primary school were found to be statistically insignificant. Differences in teachers’ quantity, teachers’ qualification, pupils to teacher ratio, and classroom to pupils ratio between public as well as private primary school were also found to be statistically significant. The study recommended the following: the government under education liberalization must cater for disadvantaged groups. The government should economically empower its citizens under privatization schemes and initiatives. The government and donors should extend subsides to private schools as well as mobilized financial resources so as to reduce the increasing coast of primary schooling.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr.Wilbert Chagula Library, class mark (THS EAF LC4069.3T34M46)
Keywords
Primary education, Disadvataged children, Cost sharing, User charges
Citation
Mgogo, A (2004) User Charges and Education Participation of Disadvantaged Children in Primary School in Tanzania,Masters dissertation,University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.