Public examinations in Tanzania 1926-1976 : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Education at Massey University

Ever since 1967 when Tanzania adopted the policy of socialism, the problem of examinations has been discussed. Since then some reforms have been introduced in the examination system by (a) the nationalization of the examination system and (b) the introduction of continuous assessment as part and parcel of what constitutes a student's pass or failure. However, despite these changes it is felt that there is still a need for a suitable examination system. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine, from an historical perspective the factors which influence an examination system with the view to having an insight into some of the problems connected with examinations. More specifically the study addressed itself to the following questions. (a) what role or roles have public examinations played in Tanzania's education system since 1926? The aim here was to establish why, despite criticisms, public examinations have continued to exist. (b) In the light of experiences elsewhere, what should be the nature and role of examinations given the present educational socio-political and economic conditions of the country? (c) What is more desirable for Tanzania; a public examination, an internal assessment or a combination of both? It has been established that public examinations in Tanzania have largely played the role of selection despite the fact that they have been meant to certify that a candidate has completed a certain phase of education. In this "misuse" lies the source of criticisms that have been levelled against examinations generally. Since in the Tanzanian context the need for selection examinations still exists, it has been recommended that efforts should be made to find better means of selection rather than the present use of traditional examinations whose predictive validity is questionable. In this regard, therefore, it has been recommended to explore the possibility of using aptitude tests. It has also been established that there is a need to improve the efficiency of the present examinations by formulating clear and precise examination objectives derived from clear and precise curricula objectives, Consequently the need for close collaboration between curriculum developers and examiners has been stressed. In the light of experiences in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, England, Russia, Cuba, China and Korea, it seems that Tanzania cannot completely do away with public examinations at this stage. The decision to introduce continuous assessment in the system of examining appears to be a step in the right direction but in order for the system to work successfully it is necessary to familiarise all concerned, especially teachers, with the basic techniques of testing and educational measurements. There is also a need for an efficient system of moderation which seems to be lacking at present. Finally the necessity for constant research into and evaluation of any changes in the examination system with the view to making it a more efficient tool of educational evaluation and development has been emphasised

An economic adjustment study of the Nelson pip fruit industry : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Horticultural Science in Horticultural Economics and Marketing at Massey University

For many years the Nelson Province has been the major region involved in the production of New Zealand's export pip fruit crop. However, in recent years there has been a severe decline in the income of Nelson Pip Fruit Producers. An economic survey of New Zealand pip fruit producers revealed that 44 percent of the growers producing on the infertile Moutere Hill soils near Nelson recorded negative net farm incomes in 1974/75. The failure of these orchardists to adjust to changing economic and technological conditions is reflected in orchards consisting of a large number of old trees with a high percentage of less preferred varieties. In order to derive feasible adjustment strategies a ten year intertemporal linear programming model was constructed. This model was based on an orchard, representative of those experiencing adjustment problems. The model allowed for the adoption of new enterprises in addition to a variety of replanting, reworking, interplanting and tree removal activities. The results obtained from experimentation with the model included optimal patterns of tree replacement and intertemporal cash flows. These results indicated that the financial position of Moutere Hill pip fruit producers would continue to deteriorate over the next decade with considerable borrowing being required to finance maintenance and/or developmental expenditure. Positive cash flows could be expected towards the end of the 1980's after which the benefits of orchard restructuring would continue to accrue. While it was shown that considerable potential exists for increased incomes to be generated from Moutere Hill orchards it was recognized that the extent of the delay might necessitate a withdrawal from the industry of those growers who could not, or did not, wish to persevere with fruit growing. Accordingly, two new policies were suggested as possible measures which could supplement existing rural policy in order to alleviate problems of poverty on the Moutere Hills

The Technological Mediation of Morality - A Post-Phenomenological Approach to Moral Subjectivity and Moral Objectivity

This paper analyzes the moral relevance of technological artifacts and its possible role in ethical theory, by taking the postphenomenological approach that has developed around the work of Don Ihde into the domain of ethics. By elaborating a postphenomenological analysis of the mediating role of ultrasound in moral decisions about abortion, the article argues that technologies embody morality, and help to constitute moral subjectivity. This technological mediation of the moral subject is subsequently addressed in terms of Michel Foucault’s ethical position, in which ethics is about actively co–shaping one’s moral subjectivity. Integrating Foucauldian ethics and postphenomenology, the article argues that the technologicalmediation ofmoral subjectivity should be at the heart of an ethical approach that takes the moral dimensions of technology seriously

Shannon Information and Kolmogorov Complexity

We compare the elementary theories of Shannon information and Kolmogorov complexity, the extent to which they have a common purpose, and where they are fundamentally different. We discuss and relate the basic notions of both theories: Shannon entropy versus Kolmogorov complexity, the relation of both to universal coding, Shannon mutual information versus Kolmogorov (`algorithmic') mutual information, probabilistic sufficient statistic versus algorithmic sufficient statistic (related to lossy compression in the Shannon theory versus meaningful information in the Kolmogorov theory), and rate distortion theory versus Kolmogorov's structure function. Part of the material has appeared in print before, scattered through various publications, but this is the first comprehensive systematic comparison. The last mentioned relations are new.Comment: Survey, LaTeX 54 pages, 3 figures, Submitted to IEEE Trans Information Theor

Mapping Identity Prejudice: Locations of Epistemic Injustice in Philosophy for/with Children

This article aims to map the locations of identity prejudice that occurs in the context of a Community of Inquiry. My claim is that epistemic injustice, which usually originates from seemingly ‘minor’ cases of identity prejudice, can potentially leak into the actual practice of P4wC. Drawing from Fricker, the various forms of epistemic injustice are made explicit when epistemic practices are framed within concrete social circumstances where power, privilege and authority intersect, which is observable in school settings. In connection, despite the pedagogical improvements P4wC offers, some forms of identity prejudice prevalent in traditional classrooms may persist, affecting children who are identified with negatively stereotyped social groups. It is, therefore, important to pay attention to the reality of epistemic injustice and the possible locations where it may potentially surface in the COI. Drawing from my P4wC experience, I show that identity prejudice stems from the intersections of the roles and positionalities of the participants in a philosophical dialogue. These intersections point towards the epistemic relationships of the P4wC teacher, the students, and the P4wC program itself. I conclude that identity prejudice arises circumstantially and/or substantively in P4wC scholarship and practice