Household determinants for children's enrolment in Tanzanian public primary schools: the case Study of Singida Rural District

This study aimed at providing a detailed description of household determinants for children enrolment in Singida rural district. Extensive background information relevant to the context of the study was collected to improve understanding of the nature of the problem to be investigated. Three research questions guided the study in investigating the impact of incomes among different household groups, parent's education level, and family size on children's enrolment in primary education. The study involved three schools of Ntunduu, Mpugizi and Mwaru including surrounding communities. Respondents were 79 that included the District Education Officer, Village Executive Officers, Head teachers, teachers, household heads, parents and students. Quantitative data from open-ended items were analyzed by using the SPSS program and were interpreted and discussed. Qualitative data from interviews, and focus group discussions, which complemented quantitative data were presented and discussed. Documentary evidence and related literature review also provided data pertinent to this study. Findings revealed that there were still a good number of school going-age children out of school in Singida rural district as households still incur costs for their children's primary education irrespective of abolition of school fees through implementation of Primary Education Development Program. The ancillary costs of attending schooling were variables, which constituted the largest cost item to the households. The first reason that household heads gave for not enrolling their children at age 7 was their young age and not financial capacity due to abolition of school fees. They minimized costs by investing available resources into one or a few children. The majority of children failed to combine income earning and schooling, in the long run and they dropped out. Girls and boys' schooling time impacted on social and economic roles assigned to them differently, depending on seniority and number of siblings in the household members. The pastoralist household heads appeared to be less likely to spend on primary schooling than the poor peasant household heads, although the poorest households failed to retain their children in school. Both educated and non-educated household heads/ parents were motivated to see that their children were attending school and proceeded for higher education levels for reasons that they will acquire better life opportunities. Hence, they did not feel any loss for sending their children to school. Children who lived with single parents, aged, or separated or divorced fathers, who were married to other women, were likely not to be enrolled, to a greater extent, than those who lived with single, aged or separated/divorced and remarried mothers. It is recommended that the state can establish a foundation program for primary education in order to reflect the district per capita income and the households' ability to pay Implications for household determinants for children enrolment and for further research are made in light of these principal findings.