Curriculum Change and Improvement in Tanzania: The Case of Primary English in the1980’s

This study looked at process of curriculum change in Tanzania taking the primary English for Tanzania (PET) project as a case study. It aimed to find out whether the methods and procedures used in introducing changes in the primary school English curriculum Would result in the improvement of the teaching and learning of English in Tanzanian primary schools. The study had five research tasks which intended to find out:
i. How changes in the primary school English curriculum were initiated and planned ii. How different individuals, groups and agencies were involved in the process of change. iii. How new curriculum ideas were disseminated. iv. What strategies were used to introduce changes for implementation. v. How the evaluation of changes was carried out. The study was conducted in Dar es Salaam Region. The study sample included four officials from the Ministry of Education (MOE) five school inspectors among Regional Education Officer (RED), three District Education Officers(DEUS) , twenty primary school head teachers and 36 English language teachers Also included were two English language curriculum developers, one English language examination official and officials 10 rom each o? the following agencies; Printpack Tanzania Limited, Tanzania Elimu Supplies, Tanzania Publishing House and Institute of Curriculum Development. Data was collected through interviews, questionnaires and documentary reviews. Qualitative data Was subjected to content analysis while quantitative data UJasanalysed and computed into percentages. The findings of the-study indicated that: Curriculum changes were hastily initiated and poorly planned, Teachers, school inspectors and other groups and agencies concerned with the process of change in the primary school English curriculum were poorly involved at various stages.

The course materials were incomplete and poorly disseminated. The communication Channel and feedback network o were weak. The methods used for introducing the course malor also for implementation was shoddy, incomplete and in shorty supply. In service courses were poorly organized and attended by a limited number of participants. No courses were conducted for educational administrators and head teachers. Most teachers had the required qualifications but implementation was adversely affected by lack of necessary facilities. Evaluation of the project at all stages was not properly carried out; the study recommended that curriculum changes should be properly planned, disseminated, implemented and evaluated. Further study should be carried out on other curriculum projects at all educational levels. This study could also boo undertaken in other regions where conditions are different from those Dar es Salaam