The problems in the tracking and learning of history in Tanzanian secondary schools

The purpose of the study was to look at the problems teaching and learning of History in Tanzanian Secondary Schools. This study was focused on teacher’s ad pupils in Dar es Salaam and the Coast Regions. The methods used in gathering the data for this study were interviews and the questionnaire. The interview was directed towards the teachers and the curriculum developers at the Institute of Education situated at the University of Dar es Salaam. THE Interviews were hold with individual teachers in their respective schools and curriculum developers at the Institute. The dissertation is presented in four chapters. Chapters one attempts to provide the background literature to the study as well as showing the role of history in any society and Tanzanian in particular. The chapter also states the problem aim of the study. The second chapter deals with the methodology of research. The chapter also discusses the sample used and the rationale for the sample chosen. Chapter three deals with the analysis of results. For analysis purposes both the interview and the questionnaires were divided into four sections. These sections covered awareness and achievement of objectives by teachers, the teaching methods, availability and use of teaching aids, motivation for learners and lastly problems encountered in teaching history and how the teaching and learning of history could be improved. This chapter also tries to look at the attitudes of pupils towards history. The last chapter discusses the results. It also includes the conclusion and recommendations based on the materials found in the other chapters. The available documentary sources on the research topic are rather limited and as such the study has relied on the findings of the interviews and questionnaires administered between December 1976 and February 1977. These were supplemented by other readings obtained from the University of Dar es Salaam library, Dar es Salaam college of National Education, Department of Education University of Dar es Salaam and the Ministry of National Education.