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MEDIA INVESTIGATION ON PEDP

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Under the coordination of the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC), 4 press clubs namely Mwanza Press Club (MPC), Arusha Press Club (APC), Dar City Press Club (DCPC) and Mbeya Press Club (MBPC) entered into an agreement with HAKIELIMU, a non governmental organization based in Dar es Salaam, to conduct media investigations on the reality and community perspectives on education, with particular emphasis on implementation of the Primary Education Development Plan (PEDP).

Press clubs are regional associations belonging to media practitioners in their respective regions. So far there 23 press clubs in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.

UTPC is the umbrella body of press clubs. Currently it is headquartered in Mwanza City. It is being governed through a Board of Directors which is providing policy guidelines to the secretariat, which under the Executive Director, is supervising the day to day activities of the Union.

2. GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE

The investigations covered the following regions Dar es Salaam (Kinondoni and Temeke districts), Arusha (Arumeru and Arusha Municipality), Mwanza (Nyamagana and Ukerewe district), Mara (Serengeti and Musoma town) Kigoma (Ujiji and Kibondo district). Kagera (Ngara and Bukoba district). Among of those press clubs Mwanza Press Club covered Kagera, Mara, Kigoma and Mwanza regions.

3. OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of the agreement was to
a) Facilitate journalists to gather information and people's opinions at the
grassroots level (especially those who are normally not heard) on education and governance of education

b) Use the results of the investigations in media event to stimulate public discussion on different education issues and how to improve it.

c) Use information gathered by journalists for producing HakiElimu publications.

4. METHODOLOGY:

Normal journalistic interviews and investigative journalism was used in gathering the information required. The whole work was guided by the TOR which centred on the following major areas:

a) Enrolment:

1. What has happened in your school as a result of PEDP?
Classroom construction; How many? Who decided? Was that the best way? Why? How useful are they? Any changes as a result of that?

2. Was the policy of enrolling 7 year old children to school before elder ones followed in the school? Is there any education centre in place where older children can get education? If yes where is it? Who and how is it run?

3. Are there problems for immediate attention?

b) Quality Improvement:

1. What is quality education?
2. What is your opinion on PEDP?
3. Do you think PEDP will help to improve quality of education in Tanzania? How?
4. How many teachers have been employed, trained as a result of PEDP? Why?
5. How are the teachers involved in implementing PEDP? What are their roles?
6. Has there been any improvement in terms of teaching materials, textbooks as well as teaching skills? Why?
7. What quality improvement do teachers, pupils and community see as essential?

c) Capacity Building:

1. Has here been any management training for teachers/ school committee members provided under PEDP? Why? Any lessons put into practice?
2. Does your school have an annual plan? Action plan? Who prepared the plan?

d) Institutional Arrangement:

1. Does your school have an active school committee in place?
2. How is the composition/ structure of the SC?
3. What is the role of SC on PEDP implementation?
4. How effective is the SC in controlling school funds?
5. Does SC get views from parents and other community members? How?
6. What is the role of other stakeholders in education in your school community?

5. THE FINDINGS

The findings of the investigations will be presented on a region to region basis. These findings are factual presentations as observed by the journalists, and the top desk analysis carried out by the UTPC Secretariat.

The following are the investigation findings:
Mwanza:

a) Nyamagana

1) MEMKWA teachers are not paid in time and the amount which they are paid of 3500 per month is quite minimal.

2) More teachers should be employed and be upgraded regularly if
the government is serious to improve the quality of education.

3) It is likely that PEDP will not succeed as it emphasizes only on building classrooms instead of also focusing on building teachers' offices and houses. Citing an example, Nyakabungo Primary School does not have even 1 house for teachers and 30 teachers are using one office.

b) Ngara

1) Most stakeholders praised PEDP for solving most acute problems
of lack of text books, classrooms, toilets, teachers, teachers houses
and pupils' desks.

2) Educational officials and teachers said in the early stages of PEDP the community did not fully participate in the construction of classrooms and teachers houses.

3) Circumstances of theft of cement and other construction materials were rampant as they were no any proper accounting system applied in the construction. Control and followup procedures were lacking.

4) Most stakeholders do not know as to where the funds used to implement PEDP come from. They could not tell whether the funds are loans, grants or debt relief.

5) Many stakeholders are asking if PEDP is a continous project or it will end at a certain point of time. They are also asking if it is a temporary project what will happen in future.

6) Some people complain that involving people to implement many developmental projects at the same time, is dangerous as it stretches their financial capacity already crippled by hard economic conditions prevailing in the country now.

c) Ukerewe

1) Delay to pay newly employed teachers has been singled out by
teachers as an impediment to the improvement of education. They claim that for the government not paying their salary is to degrade them reducing them to mare beggers. Citing as an example newly employed teachers at Hamkoko Primary School cannot afford to pay for their own food. They are being fed by the school Head Teacher, Revocatus Mataba. Expecting them to deliver in such situation is quite cantankerous.

2) Teachers complain bitterly that lack of a clear strategy in PEDP to provide them with decent houses within or near the schools they teach, is a serious problem that need to be attended to.

3) Lack of teachers comparing to the number of pupils in most schools is quite shocking. In Ukerewe district where there are more than 64,000 pupils there are only 800 teachers.

4) Inadequate text books in the district is also a big problem. No statistics was given in this area.

5) However CARE provided the districts with books worth Tsh 90 millions which somehow eased the problem.

6) Pupils absenteeism
There is a greater possibility that PEDP could be seriously affected by the alarming rate of pupils' absenteeism in schools. It is estimated that 15 - 19% of 64,000 pupils does not attend classrooms in the district.

d) Bukoba

1) Lack of awareness on PEDP among teachers and members of School Committees.

2) Some headteachers conspire to make their friends to be elected chairpersons of school committees under the pretext that those allowed to lead school committees must have O level secondary education.

3) Pupils are not elected to be members of School Committees.

4) Teachers working after normal working hours are not being paid.

5) People refusing to contribute anything to school development claiming that the government has abolished all contributions.

6) PEDP funds does not reach the intended schools on time.

e) Serengeti

1) PEDP implementation is being faced with many problems and
confrontation between the DC and the District Council on the modality used to build classrooms. While the DC was of the opinion that ordinary masons be used to build classroom the District Council was favouring to engage building contractors.

2) Serengeti succeeded in constructing 160 classrooms, 21 teachers'
houses, 17 offices, 40 toilets and made 3400 desks. However some
people alleges that the quality of the buildings are poor.

3) Pupils enrolment has been conducted very successfully.

4) Enrolment of pupils with the age 9-13 was also done but to some areas they were not being taught for lack of teachers, classrooms, textbooks and curriculum. 80 pupils at Machochwe Primary School have been abandoned due to the above mentioned problems.

5) Serengeti is being faced with an acute shortage of teachers. For example Tamkeri Primary School has got only 1 teacher who is teaching 151 pupils. Machochwe Primary School has got 5 teachers teaching 677 pupils. According to the district education officials the district need 319 teachers.

6) Shortage of textbooks is another problem that need to be solved quickly. For example at Tamkeri Primary School the ratio of books to pupils is 1:30. However district officials say the district ratio is 1: 6.

7) Schools Committees are active after the committee members were trained to fully understand their responsibilities.

f) Ujiji

1) Pupils enrollment has been done very well

2) Despite the fact that many classrooms have been built class congestion is still a major problem. Many classrooms have got 120 pupils at one time.

3) Lack of teachers' houses is demoralising teachers. It is estimated that 8000 houses are needed to accommodate the teachers who are working in the district.
4) PEDP funds are being misused by education officials according to CWT officials in the district.

5) Shortage of textbooks is a big problem District education officials say 10,119,470/= have been used to purchase textbooks but they could not give the quantity of the purchased books. The district has got no science kits, so science subject is not being taught at all. The ratio of textbooks to pupils is 1:15.

g) Kibondo

1) Most stakeholders praised PEDP for bringing spectacular achievements in terms of pupils enrolment and construction of classrooms. For example in the year 2001 11,506 pupils were enrolled but in 2003 16,881 were enrolled which is an increase of 97.28%. But the number of pupils enrolled this year will be lesser as many parents have refused to send their children to schools, on the reason that their children might be selected to join Secondary Schools and the government will force them to pay for their School fees of which they do not have.

2) 4578 children of ages 11-13 have been enrolled and 8126 of 14 -18 have also been enrolled up to the year 2003.

3) 277 classrooms, 88 toilets, and 10 teachers houses have been constructed, 2553 desks have been made, 46494 textbooks have been purchased, making the ratio of books to pupils to be 1:5. 40 Science kits have also been purchased. 625 teachers have been provided with on the job training to upgrade their ability.

Arusha:

a) Enrollment of Pupils:
PEDP has brought a notable increased number of children who have been enrolled in schools for example Sekei Primary School in Monduli district enrolled 489, and 490 pupils in Std 1 in the years 2002 and 2003 respectively. Prior too PEDP it was hardly enrolling between 100-150 pupils.

b) Classrooms
Many classrooms have been constructed for example Sekei Primary School built 14 classrooms, a new school Elerai Primary School was also established. More classrooms mean more children in schools.

c) Teaching Aids
It was also observed that an increase in teaching aids, books and desks have improved the quality of education.

d) School Committee members and teachers have been trained in school management.

e) Community Participation:
The community was highly involved in the planning and implementation stages of PEDP. For example the community contributed in the construction of 7 classrooms at Sekei Primary School. Each classroom at the school costed 4 millions of which 1.6 millions was contributed by community members and the remaining 2.4 came from various villages revenue sources.

f) The emphasis of PEDP on infrastructure while downgrading the level and quality of academic issues is a major stumbling block to the development of primary school education. PEDP according to many teachers interviewed did not consider t o improve the living conditions of teachers as well as improving their teaching ability.

g) Rampant bureaucracy in the central and local governments in remitting funds to school was also identified as a serious impediment in improving primary education.

h) The government promise of investing 10 US dollars in each pupil's stationeries needs is not being fulfilled. The findings revealed that the government was only issuing 1-2 US dollars. No one knows where the remaining money goes.

i) Contradictory and confusing directives from leaders, further complicate the process of improving education is directing schools not to enroll more than 45 pupils per class, and they should not enroll more than 3 streams, the other directive is directing the same school to enroll all school going age children in a village.

j) Disabled pupils needs have never been addressed by PEDP. Special teaching aids for disabled such as typewriters and books are non existent.

Dar es Salaam

a) Many people who were interviewed said they did not know what PEDP is
although they were happy with the results associated with it.
b) A tremendous increase of pupils and classrooms was observed but no efforts were seen to increase the number of teachers.
c) Parents are happy on the way they are being involved in school's issues through schools committees.
d) There is totally no consideration for pupils with disabilities with reference to the availability of special teaching aids and toilets.
e) Lip service has been observed on the issues pertaining to teacher's salaries, workload, offices and houses to live.
f) Some politicians were claiming that PEDP was their brainchild, which made members of other political parties to reject it and not involving themselves with its implementation.
g) Pupils were totally not involved in school's committees contrary to PEDP directives.
h) The government directive stopping parents to contribute anything to school caused a lot of problems to some schools because the schools cannot raise any money from parents.
i) PEDP focused its attention on areas where schools are already there and neglected areas such as Kizundi and Goba villages in Kinondoni district.
j) Remittance of funds to schools in time is a problem hindering PEDP.

Mbeya:

a) PEDP is well known among regional and district government officials only while many teachers, pupils and parents know nothing about it.
b) Many classrooms have been built for example Mbeya Municipality 286 classrooms were built surpassing their target of 161 classrooms.
c) However violations of funds allocated for classrooms construction was rampant. Mwenge Primary School was allocated Tsh 7.5 m for the construction of 4 classrooms, 2 offices and a store. The programme standard allocation is 3.1m for one classroom.
d) Pupils enrollment was done properly and this was attributed to the high level of involvement of the school committees.
e) Memkwa centres were established but they lacked teachers, books and allowances for the teachers
f) Trainee teachers are not being paid their salaries since June 2003.

All those findings were reported in various print and electronic media in Tanzania. Those stories and features provide a base upon which could be utilized to improve PEDP.

6. CONCLUSION

The main purpose of these investigations were to get the voice of important stakeholders such as teachers, pupils, parents and local community leaders, who are marginalized but are greatly affected by decisions made by the government on education issues.

The purpose has been attained and the findings will help various stakeholders in the improvement of primary education which is a basic fundamental human right.

RIPOTI YA MKOA WA KIGOMA

RIPOTI YA MKOA WA MBEYA

RIPOTI YA MKOANI WA DAR ES SALAAM

RIPOTI YA MKOA WA ARUSHA

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Press clubs are regional associations belonging to media practitioners in their respective regions. So far there 23 press clubs in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.

UTPC is the umbrella body of press clubs. Currently it is headquartered in Mwanza City. It is being governed through a Board of Directors which is providing policy guidelines to the secretariat, which under the Executive Director, is supervising the day to day activities of the Union.

2. GEOGRAPHICAL COVERAGE

3. OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of the agreement was to a) Facilitate journalists to gather information and people's opinions at the grassroots level (especially those who are normally not heard) on education and governance of education

b) Use the results of the investigations in media event to stimulate public discussion on different education issues and how to improve it.

c) Use information gathered by journalists for producing HakiElimu publications.

4. METHODOLOGY:

Normal journalistic interviews and investigative journalism was used in gathering the information required. The whole work was guided by the TOR which centred on the following major areas:

a) Enrolment:

1. What has happened in your school as a result of PEDP? Classroom construction; How many? Who decided? Was that the best way? Why? How useful are they? Any changes as a result of that?

2. Was the policy of enrolling 7 year old children to school before elder ones followed in the school? Is there any education centre in place where older children can get education? If yes where is it? Who and how is it run?

3. Are there problems for immediate attention?

b) Quality Improvement:

c) Capacity Building:

1. Has here been any management training for teachers/ school committee members provided under PEDP? Why? Any lessons put into practice? 2. Does your school have an annual plan? Action plan? Who prepared the plan?

d) Institutional Arrangement:

5. THE FINDINGS

The findings of the investigations will be presented on a region to region basis. These findings are factual presentations as observed by the journalists, and the top desk analysis carried out by the UTPC Secretariat.

The following are the investigation findings: Mwanza:

a) Nyamagana

1) MEMKWA teachers are not paid in time and the amount which they are paid of 3500 per month is quite minimal.

2) More teachers should be employed and be upgraded regularly if the government is serious to improve the quality of education.

3) It is likely that PEDP will not succeed as it emphasizes only on building classrooms instead of also focusing on building teachers' offices and houses. Citing an example, Nyakabungo Primary School does not have even 1 house for teachers and 30 teachers are using one office.

b) Ngara

1) Most stakeholders praised PEDP for solving most acute problems of lack of text books, classrooms, toilets, teachers, teachers houses and pupils' desks.

2) Educational officials and teachers said in the early stages of PEDP the community did not fully participate in the construction of classrooms and teachers houses.

3) Circumstances of theft of cement and other construction materials were rampant as they were no any proper accounting system applied in the construction. Control and followup procedures were lacking.

4) Most stakeholders do not know as to where the funds used to implement PEDP come from. They could not tell whether the funds are loans, grants or debt relief.

5) Many stakeholders are asking if PEDP is a continous project or it will end at a certain point of time. They are also asking if it is a temporary project what will happen in future.

6) Some people complain that involving people to implement many developmental projects at the same time, is dangerous as it stretches their financial capacity already crippled by hard economic conditions prevailing in the country now.

c) Ukerewe

2) Teachers complain bitterly that lack of a clear strategy in PEDP to provide them with decent houses within or near the schools they teach, is a serious problem that need to be attended to.

3) Lack of teachers comparing to the number of pupils in most schools is quite shocking. In Ukerewe district where there are more than 64,000 pupils there are only 800 teachers.

4) Inadequate text books in the district is also a big problem. No statistics was given in this area.

5) However CARE provided the districts with books worth Tsh 90 millions which somehow eased the problem.

6) Pupils absenteeism There is a greater possibility that PEDP could be seriously affected by the alarming rate of pupils' absenteeism in schools. It is estimated that 15 - 19% of 64,000 pupils does not attend classrooms in the district.

d) Bukoba

1) Lack of awareness on PEDP among teachers and members of School Committees.

2) Some headteachers conspire to make their friends to be elected chairpersons of school committees under the pretext that those allowed to lead school committees must have O level secondary education.

3) Pupils are not elected to be members of School Committees.

4) Teachers working after normal working hours are not being paid.

5) People refusing to contribute anything to school development claiming that the government has abolished all contributions.

6) PEDP funds does not reach the intended schools on time.

e) Serengeti

2) Serengeti succeeded in constructing 160 classrooms, 21 teachers' houses, 17 offices, 40 toilets and made 3400 desks. However some people alleges that the quality of the buildings are poor.

3) Pupils enrolment has been conducted very successfully.

4) Enrolment of pupils with the age 9-13 was also done but to some areas they were not being taught for lack of teachers, classrooms, textbooks and curriculum. 80 pupils at Machochwe Primary School have been abandoned due to the above mentioned problems.

5) Serengeti is being faced with an acute shortage of teachers. For example Tamkeri Primary School has got only 1 teacher who is teaching 151 pupils. Machochwe Primary School has got 5 teachers teaching 677 pupils. According to the district education officials the district need 319 teachers.

6) Shortage of textbooks is another problem that need to be solved quickly. For example at Tamkeri Primary School the ratio of books to pupils is 1:30. However district officials say the district ratio is 1: 6.

7) Schools Committees are active after the committee members were trained to fully understand their responsibilities.

f) Ujiji

1) Pupils enrollment has been done very well

2) Despite the fact that many classrooms have been built class congestion is still a major problem. Many classrooms have got 120 pupils at one time.

3) Lack of teachers' houses is demoralising teachers. It is estimated that 8000 houses are needed to accommodate the teachers who are working in the district. 4) PEDP funds are being misused by education officials according to CWT officials in the district.

g) Kibondo

2) 4578 children of ages 11-13 have been enrolled and 8126 of 14 -18 have also been enrolled up to the year 2003.

c) Teaching Aids It was also observed that an increase in teaching aids, books and desks have improved the quality of education.

d) School Committee members and teachers have been trained in school management.

g) Rampant bureaucracy in the central and local governments in remitting funds to school was also identified as a serious impediment in improving primary education.

h) The government promise of investing 10 US dollars in each pupil's stationeries needs is not being fulfilled. The findings revealed that the government was only issuing 1-2 US dollars. No one knows where the remaining money goes.

j) Disabled pupils needs have never been addressed by PEDP. Special teaching aids for disabled such as typewriters and books are non existent.

All those findings were reported in various print and electronic media in Tanzania. Those stories and features provide a base upon which could be utilized to improve PEDP.

6. CONCLUSION The main purpose of these investigations were to get the voice of important stakeholders such as teachers, pupils, parents and local community leaders, who are marginalized but are greatly affected by decisions made by the government on education issues.

The purpose has been attained and the findings will help various stakeholders in the improvement of primary education which is a basic fundamental human right.

UTPC MEMBERS

Arusha Press Club

Dar City Press Club

Iringa Press Club

Kagera Press Club

Kigoma Press Club

Lindi Press Club

Manyara Media Club

Mbeya Press Club

Media Club of Kilimanjaro

Mtwara Press Club

Pemba Press Club

Rukwa Press Club

Ruvuma Press Club

The objectives of the agreement was to
a) Facilitate journalists to gather information and people's opinions at the
grassroots level (especially those who are normally not heard) on education and governance of education

1. What has happened in your school as a result of PEDP?
Classroom construction; How many? Who decided? Was that the best way? Why? How useful are they? Any changes as a result of that?

1. Has here been any management training for teachers/ school committee members provided under PEDP? Why? Any lessons put into practice?
2. Does your school have an annual plan? Action plan? Who prepared the plan?

The following are the investigation findings:
Mwanza:

2) More teachers should be employed and be upgraded regularly if
the government is serious to improve the quality of education.

1) Most stakeholders praised PEDP for solving most acute problems
of lack of text books, classrooms, toilets, teachers, teachers houses
and pupils' desks.

6) Pupils absenteeism
There is a greater possibility that PEDP could be seriously affected by the alarming rate of pupils' absenteeism in schools. It is estimated that 15 - 19% of 64,000 pupils does not attend classrooms in the district.

2) Serengeti succeeded in constructing 160 classrooms, 21 teachers'
houses, 17 offices, 40 toilets and made 3400 desks. However some
people alleges that the quality of the buildings are poor.

3) Lack of teachers' houses is demoralising teachers. It is estimated that 8000 houses are needed to accommodate the teachers who are working in the district.
4) PEDP funds are being misused by education officials according to CWT officials in the district.

c) Teaching Aids
It was also observed that an increase in teaching aids, books and desks have improved the quality of education.

6. CONCLUSION

The main purpose of these investigations were to get the voice of important stakeholders such as teachers, pupils, parents and local community leaders, who are marginalized but are greatly affected by decisions made by the government on education issues.

UNION OF TANZANIA
PRESS CLUBS (UTPC)