Push to up child education

By Henry Mwangonde ,The Citizen Corresponden

In Summary

The study conducted in 14 regions in Mainland Tanzania was aimed at strengthening the evidence base around the national capacity for Early Childhood Education (ECE) as well as identify practices appropriate for each region.

Dar es Salaam. A new study that recognises Tanzania’s accomplishments and challenges in delivering integrated early childhood education was launched yesterday.

The research, which was conducted by the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development East Africa, University of Victoria Canada and the Tanzania Early Childhood Development Network, reveals the need to train teachers on the basic standards of childhood education.

Dubbed ‘Landscaping the Early Childhood Education Landscape in Tanzania’, the report also reveals the need for parent’s commitment towards the provision of better education to their children.

It also indicated that the main challenge was lack of uniformity around the standards used to assess the programmes.

“In Mainland Tanzania, universities, government and private teacher training colleges all use government curricula. However, different books and teaching materials are used,” reads part of the report.

The study conducted in 14 regions in Mainland Tanzania was aimed at strengthening the evidence base around the national capacity for Early Childhood Education (ECE) as well as identify practices appropriate for each region.

The study highlights some best practices that are focused on the marginalised, and vulnerable groups, and children with special needs.

However, the report notes that focusing on specific groups leaves out large numbers of children who do not fall into any of the more urgent and specific need categories.

A director in the ministry of Community Development, Gender and Children, Mr Benedict Missani, said a policy to address all matteres related to early childhood education is awaiting cabinet approval.

He said the government was planning to professionalize early childhood education with an aim of grooming experts who can perform such tasks.

Ms Shelina Walli, a specialist in early childhood development at the Aga Khan University, said during the research they noticed that there was need to establish a holistic policy to guide to all issues related to childhood development.