Why are our public schools so miserable?

[BAK]

Why are our public schools so miserable?
Makwaia wa KUHENGA, 31st July 2009

IN the old good days, those who went through schools owned by the government, or as known those days -- ‘native authorities' or ‘local authorities' interchangeably -- but all subscribing to one larger sense that they were owned by a given government of the day via taxpayers may agree that the standards were reasonable and conducive to learning.

Whether boarding or day schools, the public schools were reasonably habitable and the standards in terms of an education thus offered were qualitatively competitive. There were schools those days which earned for themselves a good reputation. One of these was Tabora School. This is the school which even the Father of this Nation went through before proceeding to Makerere University.

Books for all disciplines were available from English literature to chemistry and so forth. Teachers, although not so handsomely paid, were of equally good training and dedicated to their jobs which in turn earned them considerable esteem and respect from society in our towns and villages.

This was as far as things went from pre-independence to post independence days. In fact one can say, with reasonable certitude that things went on reasonably well in so far as public schools were concerned.

And because the successive socialist governments between 1967 and 1985 were focused on eliminating illiteracy in the country so that all the people of this country were able to read and write, government funding for all schools were equally well focused.

Of course the focus on achieving high literacy rate was not without a cost in terms of standards and quality in education. But still there was no glaring fall in terms of habitable standards in schools and quality in terms of availability of learning textbooks, well-stocked libraries and so forth.

But the emergence of a neo-liberal order from 1985 in the wake of privatisation which brought into the fore the emergence of private schools meant also the graduation of education, not as an important ingredient of a development process, but its graduation to ‘commodity' levels.

But privatisation has also meant the stratification of our society into classes: the class of the affluent and the poor. And these classes are easy to see: children of the poor are the ones attending public (government owned) schools today, one sees them every morning struggling to board ‘daladala' buses, being shoved by unruly bus conductors carrying with them grass-made sweeping stakes in hand.

Their primary schools are found around Mnazi Mmoja area in Dar es Salaam, Bomani at Ilala and so forth. They look underfed and miserable. But so do the schools they attend: also miserable! And the secondary schools for the poor, (but the lucky ones!) that seem to have gone though their qualifying exams at primary level are equally pathetic.

The school buildings look as if they have just survived a bomb attack; wretched and worn out. They are the Ifundas, Jangwanis of our world and the like of them! These schools do not have even libraries to talk of, let alone textbooks for learning.

Teachers are equally few – even those who are there have no plans to stay longer! They are on a look out for greener pastures; to join private schools where the pay cheques for teachers can make ends meet! In real terms, these are not the schools preferred by the policy and decision makers of this country.

The children of these big shots are comfortably installed in private schools in the neighbouring countries or even the United States or are, by and large, in the booming private school ‘industry' of this country! But this is in contrast with their counterparts in the developed capitalist world of western Europe such as Sweden and other Scandinavian countries.

I am told it is scandalous for a public official or political leader to have his/her child go to a private school. If it is a Cabinet Minister, such a minister runs the risk of being sanctioned in parliament on why he/she prefers his children to go to a private school instead of a public school attended by most citizens!

Hence the question: Why are our public schools so pathetic and miserable? Why is there no evidence of adequate funding so that they are competitive and more attractive than private schools so much so that they would belong to everybody: to a child of a Cabinet minister of this country and equally, an underdog?

Why were public schools of this country in the old good days qualitatively attractive to everyone? Here then is my clarion call to the powers that be in this country: Please make available adequate funding to the public schools of this country because they belong to the majority poor of this country.

Please make the pay package for teachers in these schools competitive so that teachers see no reason to abandon them in favour of greener pastures. But most importantly, make it a state regulation obliging all public officials including policy and decision makers to have their children attend a public school.

It is only through this way that these schools will have their quality and standards elevated and attractive to all in society including our ministers. For if the primary school at Mchikichini in Dar es Salaam is attractive for a commoner's child, then it must be attractive to the son of our Cabinet Minister or our Member of Parliament! Makwaia wa KUHENGA is a Senior Journalist & Author. E-mail: makwaia@bol.co.tz

 

[WomanOfSubstance]

They are miserable for the obvious reasons.No maintenance culture...majengo ya toka enzi za mkoloni hayafanyiwi ukarabati wala maboresho yoyote.If anything ni kuongezea vyumba tena visivyokuwa na sura ya kuvutia.... hakuna madawati wala samani..... hakuna vyoo vinavyofaa na wakati mwingine hakuna kabisa.

Kuwekeza kwenye sekta ya elimu ni kitendawili...kwa maana hata waalimu walioanza kuingizwa kwa wingi ni wa UPE( kila mtu anajua maana ya walimu wa UPE.) Wakoloni waliwekeza kwenye elimu kwa maana, mwafrika au mzawa aliyefaulu vizuri ndio alikuwa anaenda kusomea ualimu.Hakuchukua makapi na kuyafanya ndio waalimu.Yapo mengi yanayofanya shule za umma ziwe balaa!

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Simple! We got our priorities twisted. We invest in the extravant lives of our politicians and not the most important things like healthcare and education.

 

[BAK]

They are miserable for the obvious reasons.No maintenance culture...majengo ya toka enzi za mkoloni hayafanyiwi ukarabati wala maboresho yoyote.If anything ni kuongezea vyumba tena visivyokuwa na sura ya kuvutia.... hakuna madawati wala samani..... hakuna vyoo vinavyofaa na wakati mwingine hakuna kabisa.

Kuwekeza kwenye sekta ya elimu ni kitendawili...kwa maana hata waalimu walioanza kuingizwa kwa wingi ni wa UPE( kila mtu anajua maana ya walimu wa UPE.) Wakoloni waliwekeza kwenye elimu kwa maana, mwafrika au mzawa aliyefaulu vizuri ndio alikuwa anaenda kusomea ualimu.Hakuchukua makapi na kuyafanya ndio waalimu.Yapo mengi yanayofanya shule za umma ziwe balaa!

Ahsante sana kwa mchango mzuri jirani. Juzi kulikuwa na picha ya shule moja ambayo usingeingia kama ungeambiwa ni choo. Hizi ndiyo ahadi za maisha bora kwa kila Mtanzania.

Hivi kwanini viongozi wetu wanataka kung'ang'ania kuendelea kuwepo madarakani hata kama kuna ushahidi wa kutosha kwamba kazi waliyopewa na wapiga kura imewashinda? Kwanini 'viongozi' hao wasikubali ukweli na kukaa pembeni ili wengine nao wajaribu kuliongoza Taifa letu ambalo miaka nenda miaka rudi halipati maendeleo yoyote katika nyanja mbali mbali ikiwemo hii nyanja ya Elimu?

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Hivi kwanini viongozi wetu wanataka kung'ang'ania kuendelea kuwepo madarakani hata kama kuna ushahidi wa kutosha kwamba kazi waliyopewa na wapiga kura imewashinda?

Wakwetu hawang'ang'anii madaraka tena. Wanarudishwa madarakani na wananchi. Kwa hiyo usiwalaumu sana viongozi. Walaumu wananchi. Mimi nikikuajiri wewe Bubu uwe unanifyekea majani yangu halafu unakua unalipua lipua sitakuajiri tena. Nitatafuta mwingine atakayefyeka vizuri. Simple as that. It's not rocket science.

 

[BAK]

Wakwetu hawang'ang'anii madaraka tena. Wanarudishwa madarakani na wananchi. Kwa hiyo usiwalaumu sana viongozi. Walaumu wananchi. Mimi nikikuajiri wewe Bubu uwe unanifyekea majani yangu halafu unakua unalipua lipua sitakuajiri tena. Nitatafuta mwingine atakayefyeka vizuri. Simple as that. It's not rocket science.

Huko CCM si unaona wanavyompigia debe Kikwete ili arudi tena 2010. Wangekuwa wanasikia vilio vya wananchi kila kona ya nchi yetu basi wangesema Kikwete sasa basi tutafute mgombea mwingine na kwenye uchaguzi watatumia vyombo vya dola kuwanyanyasa wapinzani, na tume ya uchaguzi ambayo inafumbia macho maovu yote yanayofanywa na CCM ikiwa ni pamoja na kutoa rushwa za pilau, nguo, vyakula na magodoro na hata kuiba kura ili kujihakikishia ushindi.

Kama CCM kweli wangekuwa wanaitakia nchi yetu mema basi mgombea wa CCM 2010 hatakuwa Kikwete maana hakuna chochote alichofanikisha katika ahadi zake toka 2005
hadi sasa, lakini wapi! CCM wana utamaduni wao wa kuhakikisha Rais wa kutoka chama chao anakaa madarakani kwa awamu mbili hata kama kavurunda kiasi gani katika awamu yake ya kwanza. Kwa maneno mengine basi 'utamaduni' huo unapewa kipaumbele kuliko maslahi ya nchi yetu.

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Huko CCM si unaona wanavyompigia debe Kikwete ili arudi tena 2010. Wangekuwa wanasikia vilio vya wananchi kila kona ya nchi yetu basi wangesema Kikwete sasa basi tutafute mgombea mwingine. na kwenye uchaguzi watatumia vyombo vya dola kuwanyanyasa wapinzani, na tume ya uchaguzi ambayo inafimbia macho maovu yote yanayofanywa na CCM ikiwa ni pamoja na kutoa rushwa za pilau, nguo, vyakula na magodoro na hata kuiba kura ili kujihakikishia ushindi.

Kama CCM kweli wangekuwa wanaitakia nchi yetu mema basi mgombea wa CCM 2010 hatakuwa Kikwete maana hakuna chochote alichofanikisha katika ahadi zake toka 2005
hadi sasa.

Kwani CCM ndio wao tu wanaoweza kuongoza Tanzania? Kama wao wanamtaka Kikwete poa tu. Wamtake John Mashaka nayo bien tu.

It is we, the people who are the arbiters of who should lead us. Personally, I know CCM have failed on leading us and therefore they will not going to be getting my vote anytime soon. Why can't others think and see things like I do instead of looking at CCM as the only saviors (like you imply in your above comment)

 

[BAK]

Kwani CCM ndio wao tu wanaoweza kuongoza Tanzania? Kama wao wanamtaka Kikwete poa tu. Wamtake John Mashaka nayo bien tu.

It is we, the people who are the arbiters of who should lead us. Personally, I know CCM have failed on leading us and therefore they will not going to be getting my vote anytime soon. Why can't others think and see things like I do instead of looking at CCM as the only saviors (like you imply in your above comment)

Kwa sasa ni CCM tu maana wapinzani kwa ubinafsi wao wa kutotaka kusikiliza maoni ya wananchi ya kuunda chama kimoja chenye nguvu ili kuhakikisha wanaishinda CCM.

Kama unadhani katika uchaguzi wa 2010 vyama vya upinzani kama vilivyo sasa vina nafasi ya kushinda Urais basi unakosea ndugu yangu. CHADEMA hata mgombea wa Urais hawana maana Mbowe naye anataka kugombea Ubunge, CUF nao labda watamweka Lipumba lakini kutokana na wapinzani kutokuwa na ushirikiano katika uchaguzi ataishia kupata kura chache na hivyo CCM "Kushinda" tena.

Lazima tuwe wakweli wa hali halisi ndani ya nchi yetu. Kwa yeyote anayedhani kwamba upinzani utaingia Ikulu 2010 basi haijui hali hali ya kisiasa ndani ya nchi yetu. Je, CCM inaweza kushindwa katika chaguzi? Ndiyo inaweza kabisa kushindwa maana wananchi wamechoka kabisa, lakini inabidi wapinzani waweke pembeni ubinafsi mkubwa uliowajaa na kuwa kitu kimoja ili kuhakikisha ushindi mkubwa dhidi ya CCM lakini kama wataendelea na ubinafsi wao basi nchi yetu itaendelea kuwa katika hali ya kusikitisha miaka nenda miaka rudi.

 

[Kaizer]

Sisi sote kama Kondoo tumepotea.....lakini ole wake mchungaji aliyetupoteza na kutukabidhi mikononi mwa mbwa mwitu...huyo ana dhambi kubwa zaidi....

 

[Nyani Ngabu]

Kwa sasa ni CCM tu maana wapinzani kwa ubinafsi wao wa kutotaka kusikiliza maoni ya wananchi ya kuunda chama kimoja chenye nguvu ili kuhakikisha wanaishinda CCM.

I can't believe it! Yaani pamoja na madudu yote CCM iliyosimamia kuna watu bado wanawaona wanafaa kuongoza. OMG!

Ndio maana wengine tumeshawaachia hilo linchi lenu mhangaike nalo wenyewe.

 

[BAK]

I can't believe it! Yaani pamoja na madudu yote CCM iliyosimamia kuna watu bado wanawaona wanafaa kuongoza. OMG!

Ndio maana wengine tumeshawaachia hilo linchi lenu mhangaike nalo wenyewe.

Soma tena jumbe yangu ya mwisho ili uielewe vizuri. Hakuna popote pale niliposema nawaona CCM wanafaa kuendelea kuwa madarakani kama chama tawala.

Ingekuwa amri yangu hata leo hii ningewaondoa madarakani maana naamini matatizo mbali mbali ya nchi yetu yanasababishwa kwa asilimia kubwa na CCM kuendelea kuwepo madarakani na kuitisha uchaguzi haraka sana badala ya kusubiri hadi October 2010 na kuwapiga marufuku CCM hata ya kugombea nafasi yoyote ile. Bahati mbaya sina uwezo huo.

 

[Darwin]

They are miserable for the obvious reasons.No maintenance culture...majengo ya toka enzi za mkoloni hayafanyiwi ukarabati wala maboresho yoyote.If anything ni kuongezea vyumba tena visivyokuwa na sura ya kuvutia.... hakuna madawati wala samani..... hakuna vyoo vinavyofaa na wakati mwingine hakuna kabisa.

Nimependa hiki kifungu.

Hivi Tz neno UKARABATI bado liko kwenye kamusi ya Kiswahili?

Vingapi tunajengewa na wachina lakini haichukui hata miaka mitatu havifanyi kazi tena.

Kwa uwelewa wangu ile barabara ya Morogoro road haina hata miaka kumi toka imalizike.
Kahesabu sasa ni taa ngapi zinafanya kazi.