Public and private primary schools in Tanzania, the question of access in Dar es Salaam.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of access to education in class formation and perpetuation in the era of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). The underlying assumption was that, the SAP policies and its subsequent liberalization has increased the number of private primary schools which operate parallel to public primary schools and that access to either of the school systems is not equal among the children. Focus of the study was on the influence of family background of the child on access to either of the school systems. Data for the study was collected from five primary schools selected for best performance in Dar es Salaam city: Kumbukumbu, Chang'ombe, St.Mary's, Academic International and International School of Tanganyika. Respondents were pupils, teachers, parents and education officials. Data was collected through observation, questionnaire and interview. The general objective of the study was to identify specific factors based on the family background of a child which influences a child's access to school; and link them to class formation and perpetuation. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between parental education, family economic status, child's spatial position; and strength of criteria among parents and pupils for a good school and access to school. Research expectations were formulated to the effect that: A child's access to private primary school increases with parental education, parental economic status, status of the residence area and strength of criteria for a good school. Research findings have shown that in private schools, 100.0% of the girls had fathers with at least a diploma education, and 100.0% with mothers who had at least a form four education. Of the boys, the percentages were 95.6% for fathers and 90.5% for mothers while in public schools only 45.8% of the girls had fathers who had at least diploma education and 73.8% with mothers who had at least form four education. On the part of boys it was 60.0% for fathers and 80.0% for mothers. Economically, 87.5% of the girls in private schools had fathers who held management positions at work, and 75.0% of the mothers with the same characteristic. In public schools only 53.8% of the girls had fathers with such positions. Again, 76.9% of the boys in private schools had fathers with management positions and 71.2% had mothers with similar positions; while in public schools the corresponding figures were 57.1 % and 16.7% respectively. Moreover pupils in private schools were found to come from families which had more than one income earning activity, more family possessions and larger personal houses than their counterparts in public schools. The study has also found that most pupils in private schools were from high status residential areas, low and medium density, while in public schools most were from medium density and squatter areas. Distance to school was found to influence access to public schools more than to private schools. Pupils' conceptualization of a good school in private schools was more based on the school curriculum than the school environment while in public schools the reverse was true. However on the part of parents conceptualization of a good school in private schools was more based on school environment while most parents in public schools based on the school curriculum and quality of teachers. The study have concluded that a child's access to private school increases with increased parental education and increased parental economic status. It also increases with increased standard of area of residence and strength of criteria of a good school. The study found that there is a close relationship between investment in education and class formation and perpetuation. Children from families which have much to invest in education are likely to form a distinct class different from children from families which has limited resources to invest in education. It has therefore recommended the resumption of free education in primary schools as a way of reducing class differences which can likely lead to class conflicts and destroy the peace and solidarity Tanzania has harboured through the years.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of access to education in class formation and perpetuation in the era of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). The underlying assumption was that, the SAP policies and its subsequent liberalization has increased the number of private primary schools which operate parallel to public primary schools and that access to either of the school systems is not equal among the children. Focus of the study was on the influence of family background of the child on access to either of the school systems. Data for the study was collected from five primary schools selected for best performance in Dar es Salaam city: Kumbukumbu, Chang'ombe, St.Mary's, Academic International and International School of Tanganyika. Respondents were pupils, teachers, parents and education officials. Data was collected through observation, questionnaire and interview. The general objective of the study was to identify specific factors based on the family background of a child which influences a child's access to school; and link them to class formation and perpetuation. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between parental education, family economic status, child's spatial position; and strength of criteria among parents and pupils for a good school and access to school. Research expectations were formulated to the effect that: A child's access to private primary school increases with parental education, parental economic status, status of the residence area and strength of criteria for a good school. Research findings have shown that in private schools, 100.0% of the girls had fathers with at least a diploma education, and 100.0% with mothers who had at least a form four education. Of the boys, the percentages were 95.6% for fathers and 90.5% for mothers while in public schools only 45.8% of the girls had fathers who had at least diploma education and 73.8% with mothers who had at least form four education. On the part of boys it was 60.0% for fathers and 80.0% for mothers. Economically, 87.5% of the girls in private schools had fathers who held management positions at work, and 75.0% of the mothers with the same characteristic. In public schools only 53.8% of the girls had fathers with such positions. Again, 76.9% of the boys in private schools had fathers with management positions and 71.2% had mothers with similar positions; while in public schools the corresponding figures were 57.1 % and 16.7% respectively. Moreover pupils in private schools were found to come from families which had more than one income earning activity, more family possessions and larger personal houses than their counterparts in public schools. The study has also found that most pupils in private schools were from high status residential areas, low and medium density, while in public schools most were from medium density and squatter areas. Distance to school was found to influence access to public schools more than to private schools. Pupils' conceptualization of a good school in private schools was more based on the school curriculum than the school environment while in public schools the reverse was true. However on the part of parents conceptualization of a good school in private schools was more based on school environment while most parents in public schools based on the school curriculum and quality of teachers. The study have concluded that a child's access to private school increases with increased parental education and increased parental economic status. It also increases with increased standard of area of residence and strength of criteria of a good school. The study found that there is a close relationship between investment in education and class formation and perpetuation. Children from families which have much to invest in education are likely to form a distinct class different from children from families which has limited resources to invest in education. It has therefore recommended the resumption of free education in primary schools as a way of reducing class differences which can likely lead to class conflicts and destroy the peace and solidarity Tanzania has harboured through the years.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of access to education in class formation and perpetuation in the era of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). The underlying assumption was that, the SAP policies and its subsequent liberalization has increased the number of private primary schools which operate parallel to public primary schools and that access to either of the school systems is not equal among the children. Focus of the study was on the influence of family background of the child on access to either of the school systems. Data for the study was collected from five primary schools selected for best performance in Dar es Salaam city: Kumbukumbu, Chang'ombe, St.Mary's, Academic International and International School of Tanganyika. Respondents were pupils, teachers, parents and education officials. Data was collected through observation, questionnaire and interview. The general objective of the study was to identify specific factors based on the family background of a child which influences a child's access to school; and link them to class formation and perpetuation. Specifically, the study examined the relationship between parental education, family economic status, child's spatial position; and strength of criteria among parents and pupils for a good school and access to school. Research expectations were formulated to the effect that: A child's access to private primary school increases with parental education, parental economic status, status of the residence area and strength of criteria for a good school. Research findings have shown that in private schools, 100.0% of the girls had fathers with at least a diploma education, and 100.0% with mothers who had at least a form four education. Of the boys, the percentages were 95.6% for fathers and 90.5% for mothers while in public schools only 45.8% of the girls had fathers who had at least diploma education and 73.8% with mothers who had at least form four education. On the part of boys it was 60.0% for fathers and 80.0% for mothers. Economically, 87.5% of the girls in private schools had fathers who held management positions at work, and 75.0% of the mothers with the same characteristic. In public schools only 53.8% of the girls had fathers with such positions. Again, 76.9% of the boys in private schools had fathers with management positions and 71.2% had mothers with similar positions; while in public schools the corresponding figures were 57.1 % and 16.7% respectively. Moreover pupils in private schools were found to come from families which had more than one income earning activity, more family possessions and larger personal houses than their counterparts in public schools. The study has also found that most pupils in private schools were from high status residential areas, low and medium density, while in public schools most were from medium density and squatter areas. Distance to school was found to influence access to public schools more than to private schools. Pupils' conceptualization of a good school in private schools was more based on the school curriculum than the school environment while in public schools the reverse was true. However on the part of parents conceptualization of a good school in private schools was more based on school environment while most parents in public schools based on the school curriculum and quality of teachers. The study have concluded that a child's access to private school increases with increased parental education and increased parental economic status. It also increases with increased standard of area of residence and strength of criteria of a good school. The study found that there is a close relationship between investment in education and class formation and perpetuation. Children from families which have much to invest in education are likely to form a distinct class different from children from families which has limited resources to invest in education. It has therefore recommended the resumption of free education in primary schools as a way of reducing class differences which can likely lead to class conflicts and destroy the peace and solidarity Tanzania has harboured through the years.