THE CONTRIBUTION OF PRIMARY EDUCATION TO POVERTY REDUCTION IN TANZANIA: A CASE OF BAHI DISTRICT IN DODOMA REGION

ABSTRACT

The main objective of the study was to assess the contribution of Primary education on poverty reduction in Tanzania. Specifically, it provides an overview of education provided to pupils, and identifies subjects taught in primary schools linked to poverty reduction. Another objective besides were examining the contribution of primary education to poverty reduction, and to identify the challenges facing primary education in contributing to poverty reduction. The study employed interviews and group discussions with various suppliers, questionnaires and documentary review. Purposive sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to sample of 80 respondents.

The study findings have revealed that subjects taught in primary schools has a contribution to poverty reduction in the society if the skills acquired during the whole course of primary school is applied to real life situations. However, lack of funds or insufficient funds are the major limitations to implementation of development and operation projects in primary schools. In addition to that, curriculum of primary education was not self-reliance centered. It is rather white color job centered. This study recommends that the Government of Tanzania through the Ministry of Finance provide funds allocated to the primary education budgets annually and in time to support agencies in the district to implement appraised projects from the community. The school should not only prepare the pupil for further study but also to acquire skills that could make them use such skills in the community and become productive. Again, the government through HRO in the districts should conduct refresher courses in the TRCs in the district to update the teachers with standing orders, code of ethics rules and regulations of work in the teaching profession.