The case for the decentralised primary education: problems of implementing projects in Iringa District (rural).
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Date
1976
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
When Tanzania got her independence from the British in 1961, she inherited a partnalistic structure of government and a situation where there was no viable planning mechanism. She immediately realized how the situation would never enable her to make a reality her promise to bring about better socio-economic and political conditions for the masses of the people in the rural area. Since independence therefore the history of political practice in Tanzania has been characterized by efforts to change and modify the interested colonial structure as well as to introduce an effective planning apparatus that would make possible the realization of the, above promise. The same promise made the party and government still to search for a better way of doing things and eventually there emerged the policy of socialism and self Reliance with which the people will not only bring about development in a socialist way but will do so through their own effort. With the introduction of this policy it was lend niter some experience that the changes in the administration and Planning structure so far made up to that stage were still not adequate. Lastly it was decided to decentralize the Admin. and Planning Structures. This study tries to examine one of the decentralized departments - Primary Education in order to assess to what extent some of the administrative objectives of the policy of decentralization is being achieved viz. effectiveness and Efficiency, in the light of implementing of the national goal to expend Primary education opportunities. The focus is on the construction of classroom for more intake of Pupils. An attempt is being made to compare the situation at present with the past to see if there has been any improvement and therefore two years have been chosen: 1970/71 and 74/75. The criteria along which administrative performance is being assessed as well as the atmosphere which stir stimulated the decentralization measures are outlined in the first introductory chapter. The 2nd reviews in detail the growth of the old administrative and planning structures and draws our attention to its pros and cons. The other part is devoted to the new system and its reforms. In the 3rd Chapter we outline efforts to expand primary education in Iringa District Since 1970-75 where the lopsidedness in favour of the town as against the rural area is clearly seen. Problems of implementation of classroom construction projects at district level begin to be introduced here. The focus of the whole study is in fact on three case studies at local level: these are :-Kiololo, Tanangozi and Nduli Primary Schools. They are dealt with extensively in chapter 4. The findings tend to show that a number of factors outside the centre of the system such is lack of funds, assets etc, seem to interplay to frustrate the achievement of some of the objectives of the decentralized system. Lack of an ideal institution at the village level it is argued, makes difficult the mobilization and organization of the people for self-help activities. All these conclusions are embodied in the fifth chapter where some suggestions are also made.
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Keywords
Education, Tanzania, Iringa (District), Decentralization in government
Citation
Mfikirwa, A. S. D (1976)The case for the decentralised primary education: problems of implementing projects in Iringa District (rural), Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx?parentpriref=)