BY MBONEKO MUNYAGA
Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Tanzania shall take effect in 2027, consisting of ten years divided into the first six years of primary education and four years of “O” Level secondary education, during which, students shall also be required to train for a vocational trade of their choice.
The changes, which were announced by the Ministry of Education recently, intend to implement the 2025 curriculum shift for primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges in a total overhaul of the country’s educational system. From next year, it shall be compulsory for a child enrolled in standard one at age six and not at seven years old, as was the case currently, to complete “O” Level education, with not only a Standard Six National Assessment Examination to test them but also to sift their progression.
Currently, pupils sit for the National Standard Seven Leaving Examination that either qualifies them to proceed with secondary education or drop out. The changes have also introduced mandatory vocational training in secondary schools to enable leavers employ themselves.
According to the changes, there shall also be a one year pre-primary learning for all age five children. There was no formal age for pre-primary education in the past and neither was it offered in all government schools as the changes now require.
The national chairman of the Tanzania Association of Managers and Owners of Non-Government Schools and Colleges (TAMONGSCO)- the primary organization representing private schools in Tanzania-Mr Modest Helo Bayo welcomed the overhaul of the education.
“We have received the changes positively and we’re looking forward to making our education system meet our needs,” he told The Arusha News.
Primary school education shall emphasise a child’s ability to read, do arithmetic and writing. The main subjects shall be Geography, Kiswahili, Arts and Games, Arithmetic, Science, the History of Tanzania and Values, Religious Studies and English, which shall be taught from standard one along with computer coding and vocational skills.
Schools with resources could teach at least one foreign language such as French or Chinese. In English Medium Schools, Kiswahili shall be taught as a subject from standard one.
Subjects required for secondary school completion examination shall be six and not seven as is currently the case. Each secondary school shall have a general education stream and vocational training. Joining a vocational course would depend on a child’s choice and their future dreams.
Vocational courses shall consist of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Mechanics, Business education and Entrepreneurship, Arts and Creativity, Sports and Games, Bee Keeping, Mining and Cosmetics.
A student in a vocational stream shall be required to take four general subjects and one technical course. Their general subjects shall include: Mathematics, Business education, English and the History of Tanzania and Values.
School Leavers with vocational skills shall be awarded the “O” Level Certificate of Secondary Education issued by the National Examination Council of Tanzania (NACTA) and a trade certificate issued by the National Council for Technical and vocational Education Training (NACTVET).
No school shall have more than two vocational courses for quality delivery and teaching capacity purposes. Again, each school shall have a Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) official course to oversee quality and opportunities available in a particular area.
There shall be introduced also a new Academic Communication skills as a subject in High Schools and Teacher Training Colleges while the current Information and Computer Studies course (ICS) shall be known as Computer Science.
The hitherto Subsidiary Level General Studies (GS) subject in High Schools has been abolished and its contents shall be part of the History of Tanzania and Values and Academic Communication.
Streams for “O” Level education have been increased from four to nine. The added streams include: Arts, Language, Music, Sports and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The total “O” Level subjects shall include: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, the History of Tanzania and Values and Mathematics. Others shall be Kiswahili, English, Business Education, Book Keeping, Computer Science, Bible Knowledge and Islamic Religious Studies.
Meanwhile certificate level teachers shall be abolished and be replaced by Diploma level teachers for early learning and primary school education.
Stakeholders generally welcomed the changes but cautioned that teaching capacity was the real key to quality delivery and success of the new system.
