Equal Rights Project in Tanzania
Marginalised Girls and Boys Claim Their Right to Quality Education
Equal Rights Project in Tanzania
Marginalised Girls and Boys Claim Their Right to Quality Education
Overview of education in Tanzania
Education in Tanzania is struggling. Where as in the past girls’ education was highlighted as of
particular concern, evidence now shows that the crisis is more widespread with chronic challenges
appearing in boys education as well.
Nationally there are still one million children aged 7 to 13 who are not in school. Net primary school
enrolment dropped from 96% in 2009 to 89.7% in 2013. Tanzania’s population grew by over 10 million
over the last decade, and is projected to increase from 43 million in 2013 to 75 million in 2030. On
current trends, it seems unlikely that education provision will keep pace with population growth.
In 2013, the shocking drop in Form IV pass rate from 50% to 31%, (with only 6% achieving the
respective Division I – III grades) was widely reported in national media. The East Africa Uwezo study
has highlighted that the vast majority of primary school children are not achieving the level of
numeracy and literacy expected of their grade; poorer children being left behind their peers and there
is significant regional variation in enrolment, retention and achievement.
Children are not acquiring foundational skills of literacy and numeracy. The problems are pushed up
the system as pupils with only basic numeracy and literacy proceed through secondary school and
some of those pupils go on to become teachers, reinforcing a cycle of failure. Poor teacher incentives,
including poor housing in rural areas and high student-teacher ratios, exacerbate the problem as
higher performing students are attracted to better paid employment than teaching.
The reasons are many and complex. Poor school infrastructure, large class sizes, uninspiring teaching
pedagogy, low expectations of children, poor incentives for teachers, and the costs of education for
families living in, or on the edge, of poverty. Half of students in secondary school are sexually active
with 8,000 girls dropping out annually due to pregnancy. Studies show that Gender Based Violence is
endemic in schools with 16.7% of girls reporting GBV at school and 78% reporting physical abuse.
Girls living in pastoralist communities are particularly at risk – their drop-out rates and poor
performance are made worse by family displacement, initiation ceremonies (Esoto), Female Genital
Mutilation (FGM) and early and forced marriage. 70% to 90% of teenage pastoralist girls are married.
Other factors affecting the enrolment, retention and performance of students include poor cooperation between teachers and parents, the often hidden costs of education, and poor examination
results which further erodes student confidence. Male dominated hierarchies (school boards, Ward
Development Committees, traditional village leadership) are often unaware of girls’ right to education
or national policies supporting girls.
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Equal Rights Project in Tanzania
Marginalised Girls and Boys Claim Their Right to Quality Education
The Equal Rights Project
We want to transform the education of girls and boys in Tanzania. Our Equal Rights Project (20142019) is designed to bring about lasting change in six districts in northern Tanzania - Ngorongoro,
Monduli, Longido, Karatu, Mbulu and Kilolo. The project works in 44 primary schools and 26 secondary
school. Over five years the project is expected to improve school conditions for up to 26,000 primary
school students and 23,000 secondary school students.
Funded by Comic Relief, the project is managed by African Initiatives and implemented in partnership
with the Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC), Community Aid and Small Enterprises Consultancy (CASEC)
and Community Research and Development Services (CORDS). Together, we work with parents,
schools, local and traditional leaders, ward development committees, district education authorities
and school inspectors.
We have five components of the project:
Outcome 1: Improving Access to Education
The project works with primary school committees and secondary school boards, highlighting their
roles and responsibilities in relation to school management and children’s rights. Partners work to
increase communication between parents, teachers and school management to address issues of
student attendance, drop outs and poor performance. Project partners advocate for increased
educational budgets for girls, improved training and support for teachers, and coordination and
provision of food in schools for children.
At community level, project partners work with traditional leaders, parents and Ward Development
Committees. Taking an inclusive rights-based approach, partners raise the profile of equal access to
quality education. By increasing the understanding and value of education communities are
encouraged to use their existing resources to support their children to go to school. Vulnerable
children are identified and referred appropriately for support. Community based ‘basket’ funds and
income generating enterprises, with a view to supporting access to education for the more vulnerable,
are being explored.
The project will work towards securing equal numbers of boys and girls attending school. 2014 figures
show considerable bias towards either male or female students, depending upon a range of local
factors. i.e. In Ngorongoro project primary schools 56% of students are boys. In Mbulu project
secondary schools 65% of students are girls.
Outcome 2: Improving Quality of Education
Project partners provide training, mentoring and support to teachers at school, ward and district levels
to diversify teaching methodologies and improve classroom behaviour and participation. Training
includes specific subjects (such as Maths and Science) and more general teaching pedagogy, such as
participatory and gender sensitive methodologies.
Partners support government primary and secondary school inspectorates by accompanying school
visits and by assisting in the establishment and delivery of quality monitoring processes. Head teacher
workshops will look to embed good practice into the on-going management of schools.
The project will work towards securing equal numbers of boys and girls succeeding at school. 2014
figures show wide spread poor achievement across project districts and age groups i.e. in Karatu
project primary schools only 34% of boys and 35% girls scored Grade A,B or C in the national Standard
VII examinations – required to progress on into secondary education. In Kilolo project secondary
schools only 8% of girls and 21% of boys scored Distinction, Merit or Credit in the Form 2 national
examinations.
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Equal Rights Project in Tanzania
Marginalised Girls and Boys Claim Their Right to Quality Education
Outcome 3: Improving Governance and Security of Schools
The project has established a network of Girls/Health Clubs in participating schools. Clubs provide a
forum for students to support one another socially and academically, and to learn about wider health
issues including FGM, early and forced marriage and unplanned pregnancy. Club members act as peer
educators for the wider school population, and
over five years we are hoping to train and
empower 5,000 primary school club members
and 3,000 secondary school club members.
The project will strengthen school-wide,
traditional Baraza governance structures. Girls
and boys from each year are elected annually
to represent their peers to school governing
committees and teachers. They will have a
genuine voice in decision-making, and increase
the participation of children in their schools.
A project baseline study revealed that less than 50% of students felt that cases of abuse were being
reported in their school. Only 50% of parents and local leaders felt that they were able to do anything
to improve their local schools.
Project partners will work with teachers to develop, implement and monitor Child Protection policies
and practices. Training will be provided on child rights, ethical relationships, Gender Based Violence
and HIV. The project will work towards making schools safer and happier places for all.
Outcome 4: Improving Transition
Transition between primary and secondary schools, lies at the heart of all project outcomes. Previous
project findings show increased transition for girls and boys is linked with increased advocacy on child
rights and gender sensitive budgeting, as well as improved quality of education and governance in
schools. Improved stakeholder engagement with parents, communities, local leaders and government
authorities will help to increase successful transition between Standard VII (end of primary education)
and Form 1 (start of secondary education).
Outcome 5: Strengthening capacity of implementing partner organisations
Together we will develop the organisational capacity of all partners. With training and the
development of a learning culture, we will all be better able to plan, deliver, monitor and report on
educational and gender-related projects and organisational strategy. This will improve project quality
and outcomes, and enable partners to become stronger and more sustainable organisations.
Equal Rights Project (2014-2019): Let’s transform education in Tanzania together…
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