Are our children learning?

By Elias Mhegera
DISCREPANCIES in the education sector as reported by the Uwezo report recently are a clear indication that lack of staff could have severe repercussions in the learning processes.

This is due to the fact that the earlier in May this year by Twaweza had indicated that there problems in the delivery of education in Tanzania due to the imbalance caused by high enrolment while there is low budget allocation.

Speaking to The Express exclusively prior to the presentation was Prof. Suleman Sumra, Director, Uwezo Tanzania an affiliate of Twaweza, said parents should develop a culture of making their children to love private studies by equipping them all the supporting amenities in the teaching learning process.

“Learning is a life long process and it can no be reduced to the classroom situation only,” he said. He encouraged parents to be teachers in their own right as they do spend some ample times with their children.

Reading the report on Thursday last week during the presentation of key findings Dr. Grace Soko, a Research Coordinator, Uwezo admitted that children enrolled in schools based in urban areas stand better chances of speaking better English than their counter parts in remote areas.

Moreover the survey indicated that there are still many pitfalls if the learning process to the extent of lowering the standard of education in this country. For instance the only three in 10 standard three pupils could read a standard two level Kiswahili story, while only one in 10 standard three pupils could read a standard two level English story.

The survey report also revealed that only three in 10 standard three pupils could add, subtract and multiply at a standard two level.

Dr Soko said that her organization had assessed over 42,000 children in 38 districts on Kiswahili literacy, English literacy, and numeracy. The report had found that there is low level of literacy and numeracy among children. The study had expanded to include over 128,000 children across 132 districts.

She added that facts contributing to such pitfalls are in diverse forms ranging from teachers absenteeism, to district variations whereby some areas were prone to have dismal performances.

The survey revealed that children with educated parents also had an added advantage in comparison to those with low education. Conducting the discussion on the report was again Prof. Sumra, Director, Uwezo Tanzania who said that there was a need for maximum co-operation between parents, teachers and other stake holders in improving education.