Childhood Sexual Abuse Among University Students in Tanzania

Objectives: There are no prevalence data for childhood sexual abuse among Tanzanian university students. This investigation addressed this paucity. The nature of sexual abuse was also investigated. Method: Participants (N= 487) from a university in Tanzania completed a questionnaire which assessed abusive childhood sexual experiences, gathering information about age of victim, duration of abuse, perpetrators, amount of force or persuasion involved, and potential causes of child sexual abuse. A number of individuals were also interviewed about their experiences. Results: The overall prevalence rate for child sexual abuse was 27.7%, with rates being higher for females than for males. The average age of the victim when abuse occurred was 13.8 years. Perpetrators were generally unidentified by respondents; nonetheless, a surprisingly high proportion of female perpetrators was noted. There was a considerable amount of force or persuasion involved in the abusive behavior: betrayal of trust, bribes and physical force were cited frequently. Poverty and superstition were the primary explanations given for child sexual abuse. Conclusion: The study provides evidence for the existence of child sexual abuse in Tanzania. Poverty feeds the “sugar daddy/mammy” phenomenon and combined with various forms of superstition is an important factor in child sexual abuse in Tanzania

The Development of Teacher Professional Identity at the University of Dar es Salaam : Perceptions and Influencing Factors <Special Issue : Study results of the Africa-Asia university dialogue for educational development network second phase>

The success of quality assurance in higher education depends on how well it is organised and the extent to which the stakeholders accept and own it. Indeed, how academicians perceive themselves, their profession, and others in the profession is reflected in their practice which in turn affects the quality of education being provided. This research investigated how various categories of university lecturers perceived their identity, and how the inception of professional development program has influenced the construction of professional identities. To achieve its research objective, the study deployed a mixed methods research of interviews and questionnaire design to collect pertinent information from 67 faculty members of the University of Dar es Salaam. The study established that the formation of teacher professional identity (TPI) has largely been influenced by the level of training in pedagogy, academic training, and practical experience as an academician. Continuing professional development programs have had little impact because of their sporadic occurrences. Similarly, the monitoring and evaluation of teaching, learning and assessment that is undertaken under the name of quality assurance is negatively perceived by some respondents as an imposition and encroachment on teacher autonomy. Four of the five dimensions of teacher professional identity identified by Wenger (1998) were observed in the respondents' narratives, namely identity as negotiated experiences, identity as community membership, identity as learning trajectory, and identity as nexus of multi membership. The research findings suggest the need for more and systematic sensitisation of academic staff; sharing of a common understanding; use of professionals in curriculum, psychology and educational management; and systematic induction of newly-recruited staff

Childhood Sexual Abuse Among University Students in Tanzania

Objectives: There are no prevalence data for childhood sexual abuse among Tanzanian university students. This investigation addressed this paucity. The nature of sexual abuse was also investigated. Method: Participants (N= 487) from a university in Tanzania completed a questionnaire which assessed abusive childhood sexual experiences, gathering information about age of victim, duration of abuse, perpetrators, amount of force or persuasion involved, and potential causes of child sexual abuse. A number of individuals were also interviewed about their experiences. Results: The overall prevalence rate for child sexual abuse was 27.7%, with rates being higher for females than for males. The average age of the victim when abuse occurred was 13.8 years. Perpetrators were generally unidentified by respondents; nonetheless, a surprisingly high proportion of female perpetrators was noted. There was a considerable amount of force or persuasion involved in the abusive behavior: betrayal of trust, bribes and physical force were cited frequently. Poverty and superstition were the primary explanations given for child sexual abuse. Conclusion: The study provides evidence for the existence of child sexual abuse in Tanzania. Poverty feeds the “sugar daddy/mammy” phenomenon and combined with various forms of superstition is an important factor in child sexual abuse in Tanzania

Teacher Professional Identity and Quality Assurance in Tanzania : The Case of The University of Dar es Salaam

The success of quality assurance in higher education depends on how well it is organised and the extent to which the stakeholders accept and own it. Indeed, how academicians perceive themselves, their profession, and others in the profession is reflected in their practice which in turn affects the quality of education being provided. Therefore, this paper is based on a study that investigated how expertise in various academic disciplines can be combined with expertise in the pedagogical disciplines to produce coherent training programmes that can be implemented successfully. To achieve its research objective, the study deployed mixed method research of interviews and questionnaire design to collect pertinent information from faculty members of Tanzania's premier institution of higher learning, the University of Dar es Salaam. The research focused on assessing the dialectical relationship between the construction of teacher professional identity and quality assurance practices. The research findings suggest the need for more and systematic sensitisation of academic staff; sharing of a common understanding; use of professionals in curriculum, psychology and educational management; and systematic induction of newly-recruited staff