This qualitative inquiry into the Tanzanian education system is based upon a thirteen-month
period of ethnographic research in Dar es Salaam and Morogoro. It
foregrounds the political and economic background to Tanzanian teachers' everyday
lives. Through an in-depth study of the Tanzania Teachers Union and a case study of
a single secondary school, the thesis explores the relationship between pay and
performance. The study argues that in order to interpret this dynamic it is essential to
have an understanding of the history of work in Tanzania, as there are long roots to
some of the most germane features of their employment.
Particular attention is given to "teacher politics" and the research chronicles the
profession's efforts since the 1920s to find a platform for their voice through
teachers' associations and unions. Pivotal to this discussion are the events
surrounding the 1993/4 national teachers' strike and the establishment of the
Tanzania Teachers Union. The Union's 2000 elections are also covered in some
depth.
The final chapter re-creates the life of the school, and illustrates how these economic
and political factors impinge upon teachers' professional work and threaten the
integrity and meaning of the school experience. The chapter foregrounds the school's
cultural background, and discusses the specific social and economic function that the
school fulfils in teachers' lives. Here the focus is upon the issues of teacher
absenteeism, their involvement in additional money making enterprises and the
controversial practice of extra tuition
