In Tanzania, we have noticed the government’s real aspiration to develop the education system, but also a real lack of means - material and human - necessary to do so. The management of the system is decentralised, and controlled by 104 local governments. Tremendous efforts were made to help basic teaching in the 20 years following the country becoming independent, the number of pupils in schools tripled in size between 1974 and 1983.
However this rapid rise in numbers was accompanied by a serious deterioration in quality (1 book for every 13 pupils, unsuitable teaching materials and a lack of competent teachers, who had rapid and poor quality training.)
This 'generous' policy led to a collapse of the school system. The primary schools are managed by School Committees – parents and teachers who are participating in order to help improve the conditions of teaching. The communities are attempting to compensate for what they lack. It is during the dry season, in January, that the pupils go back to school.
