Chilling story of a Dar school

[Bigirita]

By Njonanje Samwel

24th March 2010

About 720 pupils squat on the floor for eight hours daily

Only 17 teachers for 1,080 pupils; two toilet holes for all

Saranga Primary School teacher Samwel Nyamsangya `lectures` a class of 200 Standard Two pupils, who our photographer found seated on the floor yesterday.



At least 720 pupils at Saranga Primary School in Kinondoni municipality have to endure the pain of squatting on the floor for about eight hours of learning daily.
The school, located about 20 kilometres from the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training headquarters in Dar es Salaam, has ten classrooms to cater for a total of 1,080 pupils, with some classrooms holding more than 200 pupils each against the permitted 45.
Apart from the shortage of classrooms and desks, the school has only two holes of toilets, serving all the students and 17 teachers, putting them at risk of contracting infectious and water-borne diseases.
When The Guardian team visited the school, which is located at Kimara Temboni, four kilometres from Dar es Salaam-Chalinze highway, yesterday, some students were seen using their laps as tables for writing while seated on the floor.
Speaking in an interview, the school head teacher, who preferred to be identified by only one name of Ponera confirmed the shortage of the facilities, adding that the school needed 40 teachers, but had only 17.
He attributed the problem to poor allocation of resources from government to buy desks and construct classrooms.
“The school has only 126 desks out of the required 360, accommodating only 378 pupils. On average, the school has a shortage of 234 desks, causing more than 720 pupils to study while squatting on the floor,” said the headteacher.
She further said the school had witnessed an increase in enrollment in the past four years but had not received a single shilling from the authorities for buying desks.
The school is facing acute shortage of both learning and teaching facilities despite the implementation of the Primary Education Development Plan (PEDP); the five-year programme introduced in 2002 not only to help increase enrolment of students in schools but also improve the quality of education through funding the construction of more classrooms, desks, books and toilets.
The second phase of the programme ended three years ago, with the government saying it was near achieving Universal Primary Education (UPE) after enrolling over 97 per cent of children in schools.
But Robert Mihayo, Deputy Director at HakiElimu, an NGO that aims at promoting citizen’s involvement in achieving quality education, said in a telephone interview that quality of education has been compromised.
Mihayo said shortage of desks at the school was a clear indication of the pressing challenges the government was facing in improving primary education.
“Education sector in the country faces a number of challenges, among them those related to syllabus and materials; forget about policy,” said the Hakielimu deputy chief.
Mihayo said under PEDP it was agreed that each pupil be given $10 (equivalent to 13,000/-) as capitation grant to help facilitate purchase of education materials such as books and desks.
“This capitation grant is subjected to very long and cumbersome procedures that smell of corruption. The money may sometimes not reach the schools and if it does, it is mostly half the agreed amount,” said Mihayo.
But according to the head teacher at Saranga Primary School, the school received money for purchasing desks last in 2005.
She added that as the school head, she took several steps to have the problem solved including informing concerned authorities as well as sending several write-ups to well-wishers to seek support.
Contacted for comments, Kinondoni Municipal Education Officer, Hassani Kalinga said the problem was not only in Kinondoni municipality but also in other schools in Dar es Salaam Region.
“The problem is due to increased number of pupils enrolled in primary schools…we have advised headteachers, parents and school committees of respective schools to help the government, source extra funds for financing studying materials including desks,” said the Kinondoni education officer.
He added that under corporate social responsibility, mobile phone companies had tried helping the school solve the problem, but there was still a backlog left unaddressed.




SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

 

[Injinia]

Bigirita, it would make more sense if you read the article, summarized it and gave us your analysis upon which we can start a discussion.

 

[Zion Daughter]

Bigirita, it would make more sense if you read the article, summarized it and gave us your analysis upon which we can start a discussion.

Ni kweli.Hebu tutafunie Bigirita,wengine tuna aleji ya kusoma article ndefu alafu kibluray

 

[Ngambo Ngali]

Ni kweli.Hebu tutafunie Bigirita,wengine tuna aleji ya kusoma article ndefu alafu kibluray

Kwa kifupi ni hivi:

1. Watoto wanasoma shule yenye uhaba wa nyenzo za kufundishia.

2. Watoto hawa hawatakuwa na uwezo wa kuelewa masomo.

3. Hivyo basi, watoto hawa wakimaliza msingi watafaulu kwenda
shule za kata.

4. Shule za kata zote zinafaulisha divisheni 4 na kuendelea.

5. Hawa watoto hawatenda form six na hawatapata ajira yoyote.

6. Kwa hiyo watoto hawa hawataenda chuo kikuu popte duniani.

7. Watafanya kazi ambazo hazihitaji qualification kubwa.

8. Kazi zisizohitaji qualification ni wizi, uzururaji etc.................

9. Kwa kumalizia watoto hawa watakuwa wezi, wazuraji etc ...............

 

[Lole Gwakisa]

Kwa kifupi ni hivi:

1. Watoto wanasoma shule yenye uhaba wa nyenzo za kufundishia.

2. Watoto hawa hawatakuwa na uwezo wa kuelewa masomo.

3. Hivyo basi, watoto hawa wakimaliza msingi watafaulu kwenda
shule za kata.

4. Shule za kata zote zinafaulisha divisheni 4 na kuendelea.

5. Hawa watoto hawatenda form six na hawatapata ajira yoyote.

6. Kwa hiyo watoto hawa hawataenda chuo kikuu popte duniani.

7. Watafanya kazi ambazo hazihitaji qualification kubwa.

8. Kazi zisizohitaji qualification ni wizi, uzururaji etc.................

9. Kwa kumalizia watoto hawa watakuwa wezi, wazuraji etc ...............

Same old story
Watu wanazaa watoto halafu wanategemea kuna mtu somewhere atwasomeshea, atwajengea matundu ya vyoo, atawalisha mchana nk.
Wewe na mwenzio(mke) mtaendelea kutengeneza watoto wengine at will.
WAKE UP fellas!!
Hata mwandishi wa makalla hii, Brigita , is expecting somebody somewhere to have solve this problem wakati wazazi wenyewe wapo na wanapeta.
We are expecting too much without doing anything ourselves

 

[Ngambo Ngali]

Same old story
Watu wanazaa watoto halafu wanategemea kuna mtu somewhere atwasomeshea, atwajengea matundu ya vyoo, atawalisha mchana nk.
Wewe na mwenzio(mke) mtaendelea kutengeneza watoto wengine at will.
WAKE UP fellas!!
Hata mwandishi wa makalla hii, Brigita , is expecting somebody somewhere to have solve this problem wakati wazazi wenyewe wapo na wanapeta.
We are expecting too much without doing anything ourselves

Lole Gwakisa, tatizo sio kuzaa, kuna watu wana mtoto mmoja lakini hata huyo elimu hapati. Ha hata kama watu wanazaa sana sababu ni kuwa hawana elimu ya kutosha, wako vijijini ( na kama mijini) hawana amenities zinazowafanya wawe busy hivyo consolation yao baada ya kazi ngumu ni kujamiiana, hawana birth control ni vicisous circle.

Mwandishi yuko right, hategemei mtu kusolve problem zake bali katiba inatoa haki hiyo. Ona ibara hii ya Katiba:

11. Haki ya kufanya kazi, kupata elimu na nyinginezo Sheria ya 1984 Na. 15 ib. 6
(1) Mamlaka ya Nchi itaweka utaratibu unaofaa kwa ajili ya kufanikisha utekelezaji wa haki ya mtu kufanya kazi, haki ya kujipatia elimu

(2) Kila mtu anayo haki ya kujielimisha, na kila raia atakuwa huru kutafuta elimu katika fani anayopenda hadi kufikia upeo wowote kulingana na stahili na uwezo wake.

(3) Serikali itafanya jitihada kuhakikisha kwamba watu wote wanapata fursa sawa na za kutosha kuwawezesha kupata elimu na mafunzo ya ufundi katika ngazi zote za shule na vyuo vinginevyo vya mafunzo.

Kama katiba inatoa assurance hiyo kwa nini watoto wasome bila madawati???

 

[mfianchi]

Maisha bora kwa kila fisadi

 

[Kituko]

Japo wataishia division four lakini wakiwa wengi impact yake itakuwa kubwa kuliko ile ya darasa la saba

 

[BAK]

No funds for desks - Kinondoni officialm

By Njonanje Samwel

27th March 2010

30,802 available; 55,031 needed

Education and Vocational Training minister, Prof Jumanne Maghembe



Day`s after this paper ran a shocking story of a Dar school where more than 700 pupils have no desks, Kinondoni municipal officials yesterday acknowledged a serious shortage of facilities.

The Kinondoni Education Officer, Hassan Kalinga said the municipality's 165,094 pupils have only 30,802 desks against the required 55,031. "This leaves us with shortages of 24,229 desks," he said.

He said the municipal authority was looking for 1.21bn/-to buy the desks, clarifying that each costs between 50,000/- and 80,000/- depending on the quality and the type of timber used.

He said the municipality relied on government budget allocations, which were short and far between contributions from parents, which were also not enough to clear the problem.

This reporter visited Msisiri B primary school in the municipality, a mere five kilometres from the ministry of education headquarters, where he found more than 800 out of the 1,064 pupils having to learn while sitting on the floor, a problem similar to that of Saranga primary school.

In an interview with this paper, the head teacher, Florence Bonda said her school was facing acute shortages of learning materials mainly due to lack of resources.

Apart from the acute shortage of desks, the school has no staff office or furniture and only six latrine pits serving both pupils and the teachers.

"We are teaching in a very difficult environment. The school has only seventy desks which are being used by both pupils and the 17 teachers," she said.

She said the school had only eight classrooms, one of which served as a teachers' office, while the remaining seven accommodated between 90 and 120 pupils for every teaching session, against the set target of 45 pupils.

"We have only 17 teachers out of the 23 required…each class has two streams - A and B …. Therefore, you can imagine the seriousness of the problem," she said.

On Thursday this week, the government described the endemic shortages of teaching and learning materials in public primary and secondary schools as a huge disgrace and embarrassment it will do all it can to end.

Speaking only a day after this paper ran an exclusive report on Saranga primary school in suburban Dar es Salaam where more than 700 pupils attend classes while sitting on the floor for nearly eight hours daily; Education and Vocational Training minister, Prof Jumanne Maghembe said in an interview that the shortages of even some very basic items made the government feel very bad, adding that deliberate measures would be taken to ensure that resources were made available to help the schools get enough staff with vital facilities and equipment.

Prof Maghembe said "We are doing the most we can to find a lasting solution to this problem."
"The problem is disturbing indeed, and I must say we in the government, feel profoundly ashamed witnessing situations of this nature. But I assure you that the government is working on the matter with utmost seriousness through the Prime Minister's Office, and it should all be history soon," said the minister.
But he dismissed as baseless suggestions that all public schools in the country were putting up with similarly serious shortages, adding: "The magnitude of the problem is relatively huge in urban areas, particularly Dar es Salaam, where many people have no culture of contributing to education activities."
He said many schools in rural areas across Tanzania used to have a much bigger problem "but they have gradually gone past that stage after parents were sensitized on the need to support education projects and activities".
He gave the example of his home constituency (Mwanga in Kilimanjaro Region), saying there wasn't even a single school with pupils studying while sitting on the floor.




SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

 

[Magezi]

No funds for desks - Kinondoni officialm

By Njonanje Samwel

27th March 2010

30,802 available; 55,031 needed

Education and Vocational Training minister, Prof Jumanne Maghembe



Day`s after this paper ran a shocking story of a Dar school where more than 700 pupils have no desks, Kinondoni municipal officials yesterday acknowledged a serious shortage of facilities.

The Kinondoni Education Officer, Hassan Kalinga said the municipality’s 165,094 pupils have only 30,802 desks against the required 55,031. “This leaves us with shortages of 24,229 desks,” he said.

He said the municipal authority was looking for 1.21bn/-to buy the desks, clarifying that each costs between 50,000/- and 80,000/- depending on the quality and the type of timber used.

He said the municipality relied on government budget allocations, which were short and far between contributions from parents, which were also not enough to clear the problem.

This reporter visited Msisiri B primary school in the municipality, a mere five kilometres from the ministry of education headquarters, where he found more than 800 out of the 1,064 pupils having to learn while sitting on the floor, a problem similar to that of Saranga primary school.

In an interview with this paper, the head teacher, Florence Bonda said her school was facing acute shortages of learning materials mainly due to lack of resources.

Apart from the acute shortage of desks, the school has no staff office or furniture and only six latrine pits serving both pupils and the teachers.

“We are teaching in a very difficult environment. The school has only seventy desks which are being used by both pupils and the 17 teachers,” she said.

She said the school had only eight classrooms, one of which served as a teachers’ office, while the remaining seven accommodated between 90 and 120 pupils for every teaching session, against the set target of 45 pupils.

“We have only 17 teachers out of the 23 required…each class has two streams - A and B …. Therefore, you can imagine the seriousness of the problem,” she said.

On Thursday this week, the government described the endemic shortages of teaching and learning materials in public primary and secondary schools as a huge disgrace and embarrassment it will do all it can to end.

Speaking only a day after this paper ran an exclusive report on Saranga primary school in suburban Dar es Salaam where more than 700 pupils attend classes while sitting on the floor for nearly eight hours daily; Education and Vocational Training minister, Prof Jumanne Maghembe said in an interview that the shortages of even some very basic items made the government feel very bad, adding that deliberate measures would be taken to ensure that resources were made available to help the schools get enough staff with vital facilities and equipment.

Prof Maghembe said “We are doing the most we can to find a lasting solution to this problem.”
“The problem is disturbing indeed, and I must say we in the government, feel profoundly ashamed witnessing situations of this nature. But I assure you that the government is working on the matter with utmost seriousness through the Prime Minister’s Office, and it should all be history soon,” said the minister.
But he dismissed as baseless suggestions that all public schools in the country were putting up with similarly serious shortages, adding: “The magnitude of the problem is relatively huge in urban areas, particularly Dar es Salaam, where many people have no culture of contributing to education activities.”
He said many schools in rural areas across Tanzania used to have a much bigger problem “but they have gradually gone past that stage after parents were sensitized on the need to support education projects and activities”.
He gave the example of his home constituency (Mwanga in Kilimanjaro Region), saying there wasn’t even a single school with pupils studying while sitting on the floor.




SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Porojo tu akitoka hapo amesahau

 

[Judith Francis]

The problem is disturbing indeed, and I must say we in the government, feel profoundly ashamed witnessing situations of this nature. But I assure you that the government is working on the matter with utmost seriousness through the Prime Minister’s Office, and it should all be history soon,”

Saying that the government officials are feeling bad without taking serious actions does not help. These have been comforting words always uttered by politicians. If this is the case in Dar es salaam where we expect the eyes of the government would easily see, how is the situation in other regions.

Prof. Maghembe you are not serious. This has been a serious problem in all the public schools. While you are working in full AC, well furnitured office and travelling in a very confortable car, the teachers who are expected to mould the academisian, ministers and all the working carde in Tanzania are working in a very frustrating environment,at the same time being paid a salary that cannot sustain him for a month. We are looking foward to seeing you implementing your words. Not only in Dar schools but also in other schools all over Tanzania.

 

[Bigirita]

Porojo tu akitoka hapo amesahau

Huyu jamaa anataka kusema kuwa, kama waziri mwenye zamana ya kuendeleza na kuratibu shughuli za elimu, ame-fail......Kama mwanga imewezekana, na ni kijijini watu hawana fedha kama hapa, imeshindikanaje hapa Dar?

Kinondoni inakusanya ushuru wa parking, ishuru wa masoko an biashara nyingine zinazofanywa kwenye maeneo yao, wameshindwa nini ku-prioritize elimu? wakiamua 10% ya mapato ya mwaka yaende kwenye desks, mbona watakuwa wamepunguza tatizo sana tu!

Mwaka wa uchaguzi, tunaona barabara zinapigwa greda, na kuwekewa vifusi vyenye udongo wa mfinyanzi........useless, tunaona barabara zisizokuwa na ulazima, ambazo watu wameishi kwenye maeneo hayo kwa zaidi ya 10 years, hazikuwahi kutengenezwa, lakini wanazimwagia maudogo saa hizi, ambapo kuna mvua, na kufanya barabara hizo zisipitike kabisa................lakini kununua desks hawataki.

 

[Bigirita]

Saying that the government officials are feeling bad without taking serious actions does not help. These have been comforting words always uttered by politicians. If this is the case in Dar es salaam where we expect the eyes of the government would easily see, how is the situation in other regions.

Prof. Maghembe you are not serious. This has been a serious problem in all the public schools. While you are working in full AC, well furnitured office and travelling in a very confortable car, the teachers who are expected to mould the academisian, ministers and all the working carde in Tanzania are working in a very frustrating environment,at the same time being paid a salary that cannot sustain him for a month. We are looking foward to seeing you implementing your words. Not only in Dar schools but also in other schools all over Tanzania.

Mkuu, situation is worse that it looks.
I have been in rural schools, the situation is real bad. in one primary school in Kibaha, I found this old man, the head teacher and the only teacher in a school that has 3 classrooms (unfinished) and there are 300+ pupils.

In Morogoro, in a certain primary school located in about 5km from Mikese, there are two teachers in 3 class romms where standard I, II are staying in one class, III, IV and V in one class and VI+VII are in onother one class.

In one secondary school in Bukoba, just about 10Km from Bukoba town, there are two teachers.....and one form six leaver who actually, got devision IV in his national exams.

The education sector is growing unmenageble kabisa yani.