BY PROFESSOR RAYMOND MOSHA
I would like to comment on the subjects that will be taught in Primary and Secondary Education beginning 2027. These subjects will be taught in Primary Education: Geography, Kiswahili, Arts and Games, Arithmetic, Science, History, of Tanzania and Values, Religious Studies and English.
In Secondary School these will be the subjects: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, the History of Tanzania and Values, Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Business Education, Book-Keeping, Computer Science, Bible Knowledge and Islamic Studies.
My comment is on the subject: History of Tanzania and Values. I am presuming that “Values” here stands for “Ethics”. I have already seen a book used by standard four students titled: Historia ya Tanzania na Maadili. I went through that textbook and was disappointed by the insufficient content in the part of Maadili. I felt that there was not enough and engaging content in that part.
I then wrote an article for the Kiswahili Newspaper Mwananchi and argued that the subject of Maadili (Ethics) or Values should be a stand alone subject with its own comprehensive content that will build a strong foundation in our children in the area of Ethics. I am not sure that anyone listened to my suggestion.
Now I see that we shall have a subject called the History of Tanzania and Values in our Primary and Secondary Schools. I am not sure why Ethics is combined with History. My argument here and will be so for years to come is that we should make Ethics (Maadili, Values) an independent subject and see it as the mother of all other subjects. Anyone who knows the importance of ethics in our human experience will understand what I mean.
I am profoundly disturbed that this crucial subject in the education of our children is seen as part of the history of Tanzania. This is a sad day indeed! At this moment I am teaching an online course on Ethics for a University in Chicago, USA, and marvel on how these students cherish this subject and engage in active discussion on ethics and its importance in their lives. I am deeply disturbed that we are not doing the same thing in our schools.
Here is my suggestion: Make Ethics an independent subject and indeed the most fundamental course in our education. I also suggest that we should add Indigenous African Religious Studies in our Religious Studies. If we do not give the proper emphasis on the subject of Ethics we shall forever be complaining on the lack of ethics in our society. We need to wake up and see the light.
Prof. Raymond S. Mosha, (+255) 769 417 886; rmosha@depaul.edu
