Education in rural Tanzania : The COBET experience

1. Education in rural Tanzania :The COBET experience Addis Ababa, 7th - 9th September, 2005.

2. Background COBET • Universal Primary Education achievement in 1970’s, 1980’s – (254% increase, Grade 1(1974-1978); - Gross Enrollment Ratio 98%; - 11,290 public facilities; • Mid 1980’s – 1990’s: - chronic persistent problems in access, quality, resource allocation and management; • Accumulation of over-aged school children (enrollment at 9.5 years); 4 million out-of-school children (source : school mapping 1997-1999); • Ratification for International treaties, including CRC –”putting child at the centre of learning”; • National policies for education reform – ESDP (2000-2015); PEDP (2002-6); Vision 2025; PRS II (NSGRP or MKUKUTA); • Inception of COBET, to cater for out-of-school aged children.

3. What is COBET? • Complementing Primary Education • Child-friendliness in: - Curriculum, - Pedagogy and Facilitation: (Inter-active, participatory methodology), • No Fees, School uniform, Caning • Special Focus on Girls, Vulnerable Children • Full District and Community Involvement

4. COBET Piloting • 50 COBET Centres in 5 Learning Districts • 3 year cycle materials developed; • Regular Training of Facilitators • Learning opportunity for 1,530 Children (40% Most Vulnerable Children) • Best Practices Influenced Quality Improvements in Primary Education

5. Most vulnerable children:out of school

6. COBET centres’ Enrollment of orphans and other vulnerable children

7. Implementation COBET • Main steps • School mapping; • Tracer study of out-of-school children; • Needs assessment; • Development of curriculum; teaching/learning materials; • Identification of premises, teachers/para-professionals, learners; • Establishment of governance structures and definition of roles and responsibilities; • Training on the use of curriculum, governance structures • Opening centres 2. Partners • MoEC and its related institutions(TIE, IAE, NECTA); • Communities (including children) in 5 districts; • Local Government (districts) • Selected NGOs; • UNICEF

8. COBET for the Girls’ Education in rural areas Accessible to ‘’hard to reach Children’’; - Flexible Time Schedule- Second chance to Drop-outs and Pregnant girls- Less direct costs (no uniforms, no desks)- Shorter learning cycle3 Vs 7 years- Responsive Curriculum: (Life-Skills, HIV/AIDS)- Child-centered approach - Community participation - Safe environment - Maximum Time on Task

9. Main results COBET COBET Scaling-up through PEDP COBET Curriculum for 11-13 year olds Change in Location: From Centres to Primary School Settings: • 1: Registering into Existing Primary Schools • 2: Setting centres in rural wards • 3: NGOs, CBOs, FBOs support Change in Organization Structures • From COBET Centre Communities to School Communities Change in Pedagogy • From Inter-Active, Participatory by Facilitators to Formal Primary School Teachers

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11. Challenges COBET Quality assurance : • implementation in all 120 districts of Tanzania Mainland, given financial, human, physical constraints, especially for nomadic children; - Weak co-ordination between different development partners supporting COBET

12. Way forward ? COBET • Co-ordination mechanism for quality assurance to support COBET; • Linkages with on-going development initiatives for pre-primary schooling; • Conceptualization and development of Complementary Secondary Education In Tanzania (COSET).

13. Lessons learnt COBET • COBET has transformed basic education in Tanzania through the participation of children and communities residing in rural districts; 2. By focussing on girls’ education, ALL children acquire minimum quality learning.

14. Thank you forlistening!!