Participation or rural girls’ in the complementary basic education in Tanzania (COBET): the case of Kilwa District

The purpose of this study was to investigate effectiveness of Complementary Basic education in Tanzania (COBET) scaling up project on rural girls access, attendance drop out, and academic performance in Kilwa district. Basically, the study used both aspects of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Data were collected by means of questionnaires, interviews, documentary reviews, and observation. The study consisted a sample of 61 respondents (36 females and 25 males). The ,major findings from the study were the following (a)more out of school rural girls than rural boys were not cotrolled in COBET scaled up phase: (b) most COBET stakeholders have not intensive training on COBET such that they are awareness of boys (c) total rural boys attendance rate was higher than girls; and (d) total rural girls drop out rate was higher than boys. Lower levels of access for girls to COBET programme were caused by various factors including long distance from girls homes to COBET centers and existence of culture of priority for educating boys in the research area. The reasons for girls low distance and drop out were found to be existence of socially women/ girls subordinates role in the research area. The implication of the study includes the need to establishment more COBET centers so as to reduce the problem of long distance to centers. It is also seem meaningful to train and deploy adequate female facilitators and teachers in rural COBET centers and schools to act as role models in rural areas.