Dave Delves into the Education System in Tanzania

We sometimes forget that the entire world does not use the same educational structure as the US.  It is pretty simple —Elementary School, Middle School, and High School.  The system here in Tanzania is very different:  7 years of primary education called Standard 1 through 7, 4 years of Junior Secondary (Ordinary Level) called Form 1 through 4, and 2 years of Senior Secondary (Advanced Level) called Form 5 and 6.   Primary school classes are taught in Swahili, the official language of Tanzania.  The secondary levels are in taught completely in English.  They do teach English as a course in primary school but it is often taught by people who unfortunately, do not have a good command of the English language themselves.  So if you can’t afford to go to a private school (there are English Medium schools where English is taught and spoken in all grades) your knowledge of English is pretty limited.  It’s a system where the majority of students are set up to fail.  There are “competency” exams after Standard 7, Form 2, and Form 4 that you need to pass in order to go to the next level. If you go to public (called government) school there is an extremely good chance you will not finish secondary school.

 

GHTA Director Monika and students watching a video

To make matters worse, there is also the problem of school “fees”.  The average Tanzanian makes about $500.00 a year.  Public school requires tuition fees of $30 per student per year.  It is expensive relative to the income of most Tanzanian families and many struggle to pay their children’s school fees because they understand how important education is.  In many cases they can pay for one of their children but not all.  And if it is a choice between sending a boy and sending a girl they will send the boy.  They also can’t pay the other “fees” and “contributions” such as the testing fee, watchman contribution, academic contribution, furniture contribution, identity fee, emblem fee and lunch fees.   Read the word contribution/fee as a bribe—it’s that simple.  If you can’t come up with enough of a “contribution” for the tester for Standard 7, Form 2 or Form 4 exams, you don’t pass.  And that is the end of your education. Very few ordinary Tanzanian students make it all the way to Form 5 and 6. 

I know I have mentioned one of the student’s here at GHTA, Shadrack.  He’s incredibly smart, quiet and thoughtful.  (He was the one who asked about different words that had similar meanings in Swahili).  Unfortunately, he and his family were unable to come with enough of a “contribution” when he took his Form 4 exams so he failed.  Imagine if there was a mandatory test at the end of your sophomore year and being told that you needed to make a “contribution” to the tester.  No “contribution,” no pass.  If Shadrack was a student in the US he would probably be studying to be a doctor (his dream) at an Ivy League college on a full scholarship.  Sadly, Shadrack’s story is not unique.  Here’s a kid who is truly capable of being and doing so much more.  But without an education he is destined to live a life of poverty. 

GHTA students - Mlay, Shadrack and Daudi

Shadrack

 So why bother coming here to volunteer and teach at Give a Heart to Africa?  The educational system is broken and there are so many problems here—it all seems so insurmountable.   Janet’s blog is titled “The Starfish of Moshi.”  If you don’t know the Starfish story take just a minute and read it.   http://www.starrbrite.com/starfish.html