Massive Plan to Boost Education Quality
Frank Kimboy
19 January 2011
The government intends to improve the quality of education offered by public secondary schools during implementation of the second phase of he Secondary Education Development Programme (SEDP II).
President Jakaya Kikwete said this in Dar es Salaam yesterday when officially launching SEDP II, which will be implemented for five years from this year.
In order to ensure that the goal of improving quality is achieved, the government would, through SEDP II train more teachers, increase the capitation grant and ensure that schools are well equipped to enable students to learn effectively.
Other education stakeholders have commended this move, although they have also asked the government to ensure its effective implementation through the timely availability of funds.
The programme will be jointly funded by the World Bank, which has promised a $150 million loan (about Sh217.5 billion). However, the government has not stated the amount it is to provide for implementation of SEDP II.
Mr Kikwete said although reports from the SEDP I indicate that
the country has made a milestone in increasing the number of public schools and hence the number of students admission, a lot was still to be done during the implementation of SEDP II to improve quality of education offered in public schools.
"Quite a number of activities, including the quality of education were not fully implemented and are still necessary for the ultimate goal of strategy. There is thus a need to move forward to consolidate the gains of the first phase of SEDP and
address the challenges met during the implementation of SEDP I," President Kikwete said.
though he did not give the exact figure, the President said the government will make sure enough money is set aside in each fiscal year to cater for the full implementation of SEDP II,
which is to include training more teachers, construction of modern laboratories in secondary schools as well as building houses for teachers.
"It is true that investing in education requires a lot of money but it is also true that the price of having illiterate people is too big compared to the price of investing in the education sector. It is for that reason that we (the government) will continue to put emphasise on the education sector in each budgetary year," he said.
The President also commended the World Bank for agreeing to provide
the loan which will be used to renovate 500 schools, to increase the students capitation grant as well as motivate teachers. Tanzania education Network (TenMet) commended the move as positive step towards improving the education sector in the country.
TenMet coordinator, Ms Helima Mengele, who attended the launch of the plan, said the
plan is participatory since it provides space for non-governmental stakeholders to take part and make follow up on the implementation.
"It's good that the focus of the plan is also going to be for the quality of education,' she added. But, she cautioned, the Government should really put effort on ensuring that there will be adequate resources in the schools.
Mr Rakesh Rajani, head of Twaweza, a non-governmental organisation advocating good governance, said the effectiveness of the plan depended on its implementation.
- "With the current shortage in Government revenue, my worry is whether the plan will be fully funded," he said. Having inadequate funds, he added, the capitation grant would not reach the schools in time, which might lead to failure.
Earlier, the minister for Education and Vocational Training, Dr Shukuru Kawambwa told the President that
WB has already disbursed $59 million (about Sh85.25 billion) from the loan amount.
To tackle the challenges encountered during SEDP I implementation, Dr Kawambwa said under SEDP II the government plans to train more teachers especially science teachers to curb the problem of a shortage of qualified teachers.
He added that about 1,200 teacher houses, each with capacity to host two families, will be built - especially in rural areas - as well as improving learning infrastructures in rural areas so as to attract teachers to stay in the remote areas.