Leadership, Teaching and Learning in Times of Crisis in Southern Tanzania

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on education provision worldwide. School leaders, teachers and parents found themselves in uncharted circumstances, which hugely impacted their roles in promoting children’s learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles played by leaders, teachers, and parents during the COVID-19 crisis. This paper discusses teaching and learning in this time of crisis. The study sampled 10 head teachers, 60 schoolteachers and 57 parents representing 10 primary schools in five districts in the Lindi region of Tanzania. A postmodernism lens was applied to respond to questions about the strengths and weaknesses of support structures, such as parents, teachers, and local and central government, in the era of COVID-19. Data indicate that teachers, parents, and even the government, had to try various approaches to shift between different roles involved in addressing learning demands in the era of COVID-19 in Tanzania. Generally, the study identifies complex tensions between the support structures, that had been brought on by the pandemic. It is through understanding the complex tensions and balancing various roles that we can begin to understand the teaching and learning landscape in times of crisis

Investment in Teacher-Education Versus Teacher-Educational Research for Effective Teacher-Professional Learning

Purpose: This systematic research paper provides a comprehensive review of studies and literature on three terms i.e., teacher education, teacher professional learning and teacher education research more specifically in the context of the Tanzania education system. One of the most important aspects identified in teacher education in recent years is teacher educational research despite being yet overlooked. Teacher educational research creates a better juncture through which a gap between teacher education and teacher professional learning is bridged and the two present well with one another. Methodology: The analysis used 45 articles related to the three aspects, published in ten years between 2012 and 2022. The findings indicate that through teacher education, teacher professional learning is up-to-date and kept on track by equipping and updating teachers with contemporary knowledge and teaching practices. Findings: In Tanzania, teacher professional learning is mostly done in form of workshops and seminars that few teachers from various educational institutions are allowed to attend. In addition, the integration of teacher education research content in teacher education is considered one of the approaches to facilitate teachers’ (both pre-service and in-service) capacity to draw on a wide knowledge base through teacher professional learning. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy And Practice: Generally, the main focus of teacher education research should be to understand how teachers develop and acquire knowledge, and investigate the diversity of experiences in learning to teach, thus contributing to teacher professional learning program design

Microbial contamination of traditional liquid herbal medicinal products marketed in Mwanza city: magnitude and risk factors

Introduction: The use of the traditional herbal medicinal products (THMPs) has been increasing worldwide due to the readily availability of raw materials and low cost compared to the synthetic industrial preparations. With this trend in mind, the safety and quality of THMPs need to be addressed so as to protect the community. The present study evaluated the magnitude and risk factors associated with microbial contamination of liquid THMPs marketed in Mwanza. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Mwanza city involving 59 participants from whom 109 liquid THMPs were collected and processed following the standard operating procedures. The data were analyzed using STATA software version 11. Results: The median age (interquartile range) of participants was 35 (27-43) years, with males accounting for 36 (61%). Of 109 liquid THMPs collected, 89 (81.7%) were found to be contaminated; with predominant fecal coliforms being Klebsiella spp and Enterobacter spp. fortunately, no pathogenic bacteria likeSalmonella spp and Shigella spp were isolated. There was a significant association of liquid THMPs contamination with low education level (p< 0.001), lack of formal training on THMPs (p=0.023), lack of registration with the Ministry of Health (p=0.001), lack of packaging of products (p<0.001) and use of unboiled solvents during preparation of THMPs (p<0.001). Conclusion: There is high contamination rate of liquid THMPs in Mwanza City which is attributable to individuals and system-centered factors. Urgent measures to provide education to individuals involved in THMPs as well as setting up policies and regulations to reinforce THMPs safety is needed.Pan African Medical Journal 2016; 2

Beyond Educational Reforms: A Review of Teacher Preparation in Tanzania

Changes in the educational sector are essential, particularly for improving the quality of teaching and learning. This study, therefore, intends to explore the teacher preparation practices and how they are shaped by educational reforms. Hence, both empirical and theoretical studies were reviewed. Furthermore, this research study employed a systematic review approach on 42 articles published in a range of 15 years from 2007-2022, in order to explore teacher-preparation practices and how they are shaped by educational reforms. The paper highlights educational reforms and it illustrates those factors that shape educationreform outcomes. It portrays educators, not as individuals with the mandate to make independent choices, but rather as innovative practitioners working in a context characterised by rules and guidelines derived from within and beyond the educational arena. The study recommends that teachers’ professional learning should be strengthened in teachers’ colleges, in order to ensure that teacher educators are not only aware of innovations emerging daily, due to science and technology, but also to enable their practices to be at the same pace as those technological developments. It implies that educators, as innovative practitioners, should be made part and parcel of the process of structuring the reform program right from the inception of the reform

Community involvement in pupils’ learning in response to covid-19 crisis: a case of aku-ied ea’s interventions in southern Tanzania, Lindi Region

Learning is at the center of teaching to the extent that educational policy planners and all stakeholders should focus on ensuring all strategies are put into place for learning to take place in all circumstances. Yet, the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted all spheres of life in the world including the education sector. Tanzania like other countries had to close its educational institutions around March 2020 following the acute outbreak of the pandemic. Primary school pupils are amongst the majority of the learners who were affected as they had to be home-schooled in taking measures to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Moreover, the fact that the closure of schools took place abruptly and the population at large was unaware so it was therefore unprepared to undertake homeschooling. Many parents faced challenges on how to support children learning while they were at home and in some cases, parents could not support their children’s learning at all. This research project therefore, was conducted as an intervention in emergency response to the covid-19 crisis by the Aga Khan University, Institute for Educational Development, East Africa (AKU-IED, EA) and the main purpose was to explore the conditions under which home learning took place during COVID 19 school closure and secondly to explore the impact or effect of an intervention project. The study employed a mixed method research approach using pre- and post-intervention surveys and interviews. The study sample was selected randomly from five districts of Lindi region, southern Tanzania, 10 schools were involved whereby two schools per district were selected. Data were collected from parents (grade one, two and three parents), head teachers, teachers (grade one, two and three teachers), discipline master/mistress and the teacher in charge of gender. Overall, it was noted that the AKU-IED EA’s interventions had a significant impact on the conditions of the children’s learning within the school environment. In the case of beyond the school environment, there was a significant increase in the knowledge of providing home learning among parents after the intervention. Based on the study findings it is recommended that policy planners and educational curriculum developers should design a system that incorporates the management of emergency issues that can interfere with the formal learning system. Additionally, awareness should be raised on the best ways the community can be involved in pupils learning

The implementation of school feeding program in a context of fee-free education policy to enhance early childhood learning: a case of two primary schools in Iringa Municipal, Tanzania

Meaningful learning is directly associated with the cognitive ability of a learner. However, cognitive ability is highly influenced by nutritional feeding habits that a learner is daily exposed to. Therefore, this study examined the implementation of the School Feeding Program (SFP) in the context of fee-free education policy to support early childhood learning which makes early childhood education to secondary education free from payment of school fees and any other form of payments and how the policy would affect the availability of meals at school. Two public primary schools were examined in terms of policy framework, source of funding, institutional capacity, design and modality of implementation and involvement of the community. The study employed a qualitative research approach in a case study design which focused on an in-depth exploration of the phenomenon. The data was collected through the use of semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and semi-structured observation. The findings from the study revealed that the existing practices in the implementation of SFP in public primary schools were not in harmony with suggestions from studies for a functional and sustainable SFP. Thus, affecting the predetermined learning outcomes that would result from improved enrollment, attendance and enhanced participation in learning. This missing harmony was escalated by short of explicit directives on proper modalities of mobilizing financial resources from parents, insufficient institutional capacity in terms of infrastructure, parents’ misconceptions of fee-free education policy, inadequate parents’ sensitization on the importance of school feeding programme for the benefit of their children and parents’ reluctance and unwillingness which is based on voluntary participation. The study concluded that the existing practices in the implementation of school feeding programme do not correspond with what studies suggest to have a functional and sustainable SFP thereby failing to guarantee children of a healthy lifestyle and dietary habits that are both nutritionally and cognitively constructive. It is therefore imperative for the government through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to revisit the guidance on the implementation of the school feeding program and consider giving early childhood its required attention which does not only imply having a pre-school class in each public school but also equally important investing in quality early childhood services including nutrition and SFP