The United Republic of Global Initiative on Tanzania
Out-of-School Children Ministry of Education Science and Technology
TANZANIA MARA REGION CASE STUDY REPORT MARCH 2018
Acknowledgment 1
Acknowledgement
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST) and UNICEF would like to express gratitude to Muhammad Q Hasan PhD, the UNICEF consultant for this Out- of-School Study and his co-worker Dr Jie Zhang, former Lecturer of University of Essex and a former UNICEF consultant, for their strong technical knowledge and analytical skills in bringing to light the profiles, barriers, bottlenecks and policy issues affecting children and adolescents out of school. Muhammad Hasan is also acknowledged for the technical support that he provided to Dar es Salaam University College of Education in the conduct of the Case study in Mara Region and qualitative assessment of the out-of-school children.
Dar es Salaam University College of Education was responsible for the qualitative assessment of the out-of-school children and conduct of the case study in Mara to assess the social cultural practices that keep children out of school. Thus, immense gratitude is also due to the research team from the Dar es Salaam University College of Education (DUCE) namely, Professor Sam Magimbi, Professor Maurice Mbago, Dr Consolata Chua, Dr Christina Raphael, Dr Julius Mngumi and Mr Rodrick Ndomba, who led the qualitative component of the study in seven regions supported by the international consultant with whom the team interacted on a continuous basis. This interaction not only reinforced national capacities but also helped us to understand some of the complex contextual issues affecting out-of-school children in Tanzania.
Gratitude is also due to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and all the members of the technical reference group formed in the Ministry for the study. Thanks is especially due to Mr John Senzighe, at the Department of Policy and Planning who was the main contact point at the Ministry and helped the consultant in every aspect of the project. Furthermore, thanks are also due to Ms. Cecilia Baldeh, Chief of Education and Dr Ayoub Kafyulilo, Education Specialist, UNICEF Tanzania, who provided the necessary technical, logistical and financial support on behalf of UNICEF.
MARCH 2016 Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children 2 Mara Region case study report
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 4
1. Introduction 4 1.1. Mara Region administrative structure 4 1.2. Social and cultural characteristics of Mara Region 6 1.3. Economic characteristics of Mara Region 9 1.4. An overview of OOSC in Mara Region 9 1.5. The case study and its objectives 11 1.6. Organization of the Report 11
CHAPTER TWO METHODOLOGY 12
2. Introduction 12 2.1. Case study area 12 2.2. Respondents 12 2.3. Data collection procedure 15 2.4. Interviews 16 2.5. Observations 16 2.6. Ethical considerations in the case study 16 2.7. Data analysis 17 2.8. Summary 17 FINDINGS
CHAPTER THREE DEMAND SIDE BARRIERS TO SCHOOL Socio-cultural and economic contexts 18
3. Introduction 18 3.1. Social structure 18 3.1.1. Weak nuclear family 18 3.1.2. Serial marriages 18 3.1.3. Orphanhood, single parent, grandparent, and child-headed families 19 3.1.4. Extreme patriarchy and exaggerated masculinity 20 3.1.5. Child transfer from one school to another 20 3.1.6. Peer pressure 20 3.2. Cultural context 21 3.2.1 Cattle culture 22 3.2.2. FGM 22 3.2.3. Male circumcision 23 3.2.4. Bride wealth, early marriage, and teenage pregnancy 24 3.2.5. Witchcraft beliefs and superstition 24 3.2.6. Tribal ceremonies 24 3.2.7. Interest in schooling 25 3.2.8. Attitude towards children with disabilities 25 3.3. Economic structure 25 3.3.1. Poverty 25 3.3.2. Child labour 26 3.3.3. Indirect cost of schooling 27 3.4. Summary 27 Contents 3
CONTENTS
CHAPTER FOUR SUPPLY SIDE BARRIERS TO SCHOOLING 28
4. Introduction 28 4.1. Inadequate and poor school infrastructure and facilities 28 4.2. Inadequate funds and resources in schools 29 4.3. Lack of teacher motivation leading to low morale 30 4.4. Distance to school 31 4.5. School safety 33 4.6. Provision of meals in schools 34 4.7. Curriculum, job skills, and positive socio-cultural values 35 4.8. Summary 35
CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSIONS 36 5. Conclusion 36 5.1. Summary of the main findings 36 5.5.1. Demand side social cultural barriers to schooling 36 5.5.2. Demand side economic barriers to schooling 37 5.5.3. Supply side barriers to schooling 37 5.5.4. Policies, governance, and financing school 37
APPENDICES 38
Children interview questions 42 Head teachers, teachers and members of school committees’ interview 45 Village leaders, key informers, parents/caretakers of OOSC, children at risk of dropping out of school, children with disabilities 48 District education officers interview 50 Informed consent form for parents/guardians of children taking part in interviews 51 Consent form for interview schedules 52 Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children 4 Mara Region case study report
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
1. Introduction
This case study presents information on social cultural covered mainly by Lake Victoria. This leaves a total land and economic factors for OOSC in Mara Region. Chapter area of 19,566 square kilometres. According to 2012 One provides background information about the study census the region has the population of about 1,743,830 area. The chapter is divided into sections in which section inhabitants (840,020 males, 903,810 females). Mara one presents the administrative structure of Mara Region, Region borders with Kenya in the North, Uganda across section two, social and cultural characteristics of the Lake Victoria, in the north, Kagera across Lake Victoria, in region, section three presents economic characteristics the West, Arusha Region and Manyara Region in the East, of the region, section four, an overview of OOSC, section Simiyu Region in the south and Mwanza Region in the five presents the case study and its objectives, and South west (Figure 1.1). section six outlines the organization of the report. The region has eight Administrative Local Government 1.1. Mara Region administrative structure Authorities; these include Bunda District Council, Musoma District Council, Musoma Municipal Council, Administratively Mara Region is located near the Butiama District Council, Serengeti District Council, northwestern corner of Tanzania on the eastern shores of Tarime District Council, Tarime Town Council and Rorya Lake Victoria. It has an area of 30,150 square kilometres District Council. The region has 20 Divisions, 119 Wards and; of this, 10,584 square kilometres is water body and 409 villages.
FIGURE 1.1 Uganda Map of Mara Region Kenya
Rwanda
Burundi Kenya Lake Victoria Democratic Republic of the Congo
Rorya Musoma Tarime Urban Zambia Malawi Butiama Mozambique
Musoma Rural Mara
Bunda Serengeti
Tanzania Chapter one 5
TABLE 1.1 Secondary schools in Mara Region by districts
Administrative O level Only O level & A level Grand A level Only Grand District Govt Pvt. Total Govt Pvt. Total Total Govt Pvt. Total Total Bunda DC 25 6 31 1 2 3 34 0 0 0 34 Butiama DC 18 5 23 0 0 0 23 2 0 2 25 Musoma RD 16 2 18 1 0 1 19 0 0 0 19 Musoma UD 15 5 20 3 2 5 25 0 0 0 25 Serengeti DC 19 4 23 2 0 2 25 0 0 0 25 Tarime RD 26 1 27 2 0 2 29 0 0 0 29 Tarime UD 7 2 9 1 0 1 10 0 0 0 10 Rorya DC 27 2 29 0 1 1 30 0 0 0 30 Total 153 27 180 10 5 15 195 2 0 2 197
DC=District Council, RD=Rural District, UD=Urban District, Govt=Government, Pvt.=Private Source: Quarterly SEDP Report (URT, 2015)
The region has both government and private schools at TABLE 1.2 primary and secondary levels of education. Secondary Pre-primary and primary schools in Mara Region schools fall into three main categories – O level only, A level only, and those which combine A level and O level. Administrative Pre-primary Primary The recent quarterly report on the implementation of District Govt Pvt. Total Govt Pvt. Total SEDP and PEDP in the region shows that there are 197 Bunda DC 160 6 166 160 6 166 secondary schools in the region. Out of 197 secondary Butiama DC 85 2 87 85 2 87 schools, 180 schools are O level only (153 public and 27 Musoma RD 108 0 108 108 0 108 private) (URT, 20151). The remaining 17 secondary schools comprise two public A level only, and 15 which combine Musoma UD 38 8 46 38 8 46 O level and A level; five of these secondary schools are Serengeti DC 109 4 113 109 4 113 private. This data is summarized in Table 1.1. Tarime RD 104 11 115 104 11 115 Tarime UD 27 6 33 27 5 32 The region has 793 pre-primary schools – 751 public and Rorya DC 120 5 125 120 5 125 42 private. The region has 792 primary schools – 751 Total 751 42 793 751 41 792 public and 41 private. The distribution of the pre-primary and primary schools is illustrated in Table 1.2. DC=District Council, RD=Rural District, It can be noted that where there are urban and rural UD=Urban District, Govt=government, Pvt.=private districts, the number of schools in rural districts Source: Quarterly PEDP Report (URT, 20152) outnumbers those in urban districts by far. This might explain in part the reasons behind many dropouts in rural The reason behind this phenomenon is that pre-primary districts when compared to urban districts. The scenario schools do not have their own separate buildings but were could as well be justifiable by the fact that rural areas have introduced as units in respective primary schools. The a larger population; hence a higher rate of dropouts could one-to-one matching of pre-primary and primary schools be explained alongside that in the urban areas. It can as might not be the case in private primary schools as is the well be noted that the number of pre-primary schools case in Tarime Town Council where one primary school and the primary public schools appear to be the same. does not entail a pre-primary school and vice versa.
1. URT. (2015). Quarterly SEDP Report, April – June 2015. Mara. 2. URT. (2015). Quarterly PEDP Report, April – June 2015. Mara. Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children 6 Mara Region case study report
1.2. Social and cultural characteristics Among the Kuria, cattle are such a crucial economic asset; of Mara Region so highly rated that people make an effort to maintain the cattle culture even at the expense of their children’s Culture refers to a common identity among people based school life. Observations during data collection revealed on shared relations, beliefs and technology (Newman, that children as young as five and six years old were 2011:488)3. In Mara Region, distinct cultural groups herding cattle. Another characteristic of cattle culture include the Kuria, Luo, Sukuma, Gita, Zanaki, Subi, is that many pastoral households reside in the marginal Ruri, Kabwa, Mongereme, Kerewe, Ikoma, and Nata. areas of villages. REOs and DEOs reported that the Culture is broad and local since even within ethnic or outskirts of villages are strategic settlements for pasture tribal communities there are sometimes distinct sub- while centre areas of villages are more settled and have groups who may share the same tribal language but schools and other social services. This settlement pattern may not share some beliefs or norms. Among the Kuria can be observed in several pastoral villages like Katongo main ethnic group, for example, researchers observed (Musoma Rural District) where the village leader told nineteen sub-groups or clans – Irege, Nyabasi, Timbaru, researchers during the case study that Sukuma cattle Linchoka, Kira, Nyamongo, Shweta, Nchari, Kenye, herders prefer to stay in hamlets called ‘T’ about eight Kirioba, Ngwereme, Zanaki, Ikoma, Nata, Sembeti, kilometres from the village centre. The consequence of Kabwa, Hunyaga, Subu, and Mara. It is interesting to this settlement pattern is what the study can reveal; that note that some of the subgroups identified, claimed tribal many children from such communities walk very long status; notably the Zanaki, Ikoma, and Nata. distances to and from school on a daily basis. Teachers, village leaders, and children themselves, reported in Cultural differences in Mara Region follow along the lines separate interviews that a long walking distance to school of language, customs, traditions, and norms (Newman, had drastic consequences on school attendance, as shall 2011:488-489)4. Formal appearances of the cultures in be revealed in the report. Mara Region (i.e. the eidos) may not be so obvious but the ethos has important bearings on the way people Possession of cattle poses a logical contradiction since behave. The ethos is the disposition of a culture which households considered to be poor have considerable determines its quality, its main themes and interests animal wealth that could easily be converted to money. (Majumdar and Madan, 2013:14-15)5. Although details Separate interviews with education officers, teachers, and of cultural characteristics related to OOSC and children village leaders revealed that among the Kuria, for instance, at risk of dropping out of school, especially of the case bride wealth is paid mainly in cattle. The leaders reported study area, will be covered in Chapter Four, this section that the cattle rich people are polygynous since cattle points to a few highlights. wealth makes it easy for them to marry as many wives as they would wish. In Masinono Primary School, pupils One of the strong cultural aspects in the region is the reported that at least six men in the village have more than cattle culture which is very strong among the Kuria and 15 wives each, because of owning many cattle. Sukuma. Nevertheless, the culture diffuses and all cultural groups and subgroups – Luo, Gita, Nandi, in Mara Region, There are also logical contradictions in the culture have adopted the cattle culture. Some people own large surrounding bride wealth, early marriages, and teenage numbers of cattle – up to one hundred head of cattle, pregnancy. Cattle may be paid for a circumcised school but even for parents with few cattle, the strategy is to girl for wealth. However, the cattle may not be invested accumulate as many cattle as possible. For example, the for the education of a brother, let alone a younger sister. Sukuma who grow rice have a strong cattle culture. Their Actually, the cattle may be used to pay for the brother’s main strategy is to buy a few goats after they sell rice and wife and thus, a chain reaction. People with cattle wealth later convert goats to cows. Once families have built large are polygynous and can at any moment terminate herds of cattle, the families move to another village with studies of a newly circumcised girl to add to the fleet of more pasture – hence completing the nomadic life cycle. wives one already has. At this point all family members get engaged and the core family can be enlarged when the father decides to add Another cultural characteristic in the region is the another wife or wives to take care of the cattle. circumcision of both girls (FGM) and boys (male
3. Newman, D.M. (2011). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 9 Ed. New Delhi, Sage. 4. Newman, D.M. (2011). Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 9 Ed. New Delhi, Sage. 5. Majumdar, D. N. & Madan, T. N. (2013). An Introduction to Social Anthropology. Mayoor Paperbacks, Delhi. Chapter one 7
circumcision). According to a UNFPA (2014)6 fact-sheet, shoes, among other things, which serve to maintain the FGM is notorious in five regions including Manyara practice. The Kuria, Irege and Kabwa, do not have regard for (71%), Dodoma (60%), Arusha (59%), Singida (51%), circumcision in hospital as do the Luo. Hence, they (Kuria, and Mara (40%). In Mara, education officers reported Irege, Kabwa) look down upon the Luo who undertake that some ethnic groups like the Luo, Gita, Kerewe, and hospital circumcision. It should be noted that to the Luo, Sukuma do not practice FGM which means that in some circumcision is not an important rite of passage. communities the rate of FGM could be much above 40 per cent. Unlike these mentioned ethnic groups, However, for reasons of hygiene and increase in HIV/ FGM and circumcision for boys are important rites of AIDS education, some parents consider out of hospital passage among the Kuria, Kabwa, and Rege. In these circumcision unsafe and opt for a hospital procedure to communities, circumcision - FGM and circumcision circumcise their boys. This action attracts anger from for boys, is done out of hospital using ‘local surgeons’ puritans who emphasize out of hospital operations. using ‘local’ instruments. In each clan, there are special A Catholic sister of the Daughters of Charity of St. old women and men – local ‘surgeons’, responsible for Vincent de Paul in Masanga Village in Sirari Ward performing the ordeal on girls and boys. (Tarime Rural) and Jipe Moyo Trust (Musoma Rural), pioneer campaigns against FGM and traditional Circumcision is preceded by dancing and singing (unsafe) circumcision for boys. some days before the eventful nights in which the children would be taken to secret places where they are From 2014 Masanga Centre has been holding safe circumcised. A teacher at Musoma Technical Secondary circumcision camps for boys. Early this year, (2015) 250 School reported during an interview that the community boys camped for safe circumcision awareness campaigns around the school (Rwamlimi Ward) held numerous in Masanga Centre but some boys were pressurised by circumcision ceremonies last year. He said that the Kabwa parents and peers to undergo traditional circumcision people – the predominant ethnic group in Rwamlimi Ward, when they returned home. Some of those who underwent hold circumcision camps in even years and even months safe circumcision, were refused by their parents who – those divisible by two. He further said that clan leaders belong to the traditional mainstream. A sister at Masanga could decide to conduct circumcision at the end of the Centre reported during an interview that the centre hosts odd year like 2015 should the need be critical. According one Standard VII boy whose father disowned him after he to him, numerous camps were held last year (2014) was circumcised in hospital. and more camps would be organized next year (2016). Commenting on the ceremonies the teacher said, The centre also provides asylum for girls who run away to avoid FGM. In 2008, the centre received 53 girls. In ‘You could hear praise singers all the day even when you were 2013, the number of girls who sought protection rose in classes last year this month. These danced around from to 437 with more girls – about 636 in December 2014. household to another, singing songs encouraging awaiting The sister at the centre reported that these were school children to take courage. Circumcision and general life of these children; mostly in upper primary classes (Standards children are highly interwoven to the extent that children are VI and VII). Jipe Moyo Trust, on the other hand, hosts ready to miss classes to attend the ceremonies.’ (A teacher at about 52 FGM survivors. Although, there are no clear Musoma Technical Secondary School). statistics on the situation of FGM in the region, the sister interviewed at Masanga Catholic Mission, and The teacher also said that girls and boys who undergo the Catholic sisters at Jipe Moyo Trust, indicated that FGM process without screaming are considered brave (heroines is deep rooted and its abolition needs more strategic and heroes) and their parents become proud of them. The intervention measures. circumcised boys are called wa-mura (singular, mu-mura) after initiation, while girls are called wa-iseke (singular, mu- Traditionally, boys and girls marry at relatively tender iseke). The uninitiated boys and girls – uncircumcised, are ages after circumcision. According to village elders called wa-risha and wa-sagane respectively. During the pass interviewed, FGM has a negative impact on the school out ceremony, the children are always given compliments life of girls who are encouraged to leave school and and are given tokens such as money, new clothes, and marry. The elders also pointed out that like FGM, male
6. UNFPA. (2014). Female Genital Mutilation Fact Sheet. Tanzania Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children 8 Mara Region case study report
circumcision also has an impact on children’s school Another significant aspect of cultural life in Mara lives since after circumcision, the culture encourages Region is extreme patriarchy and exaggerated boys to consider themselves grownups, ready to masculinity. The culture of people in Mara Region marry, and raise families, which means boys are at honors male than female gender where the majority of risk of dropping out of school after circumcision. Early the males are trained to take family responsibility and marriages and teenage pregnancies are cultural aspects inheritance in the family, clan and/or community while of the same phenomenon. Both are closely associated females are prepared to be submissive and obedient with female and male circumcision and bride wealth, as to men. Due to this, men receive higher priority in mentioned above. education than women whose education is considered to be a loss as they will get married to other families Another cultural aspect in the region can be observed in hence their education will benefit other people and the characteristics of the social structure in the region. not their original families. Village leaders reported Nuclear families in this region are complex, large, and that extreme patriarchy was manifested in household weak; encompassing members of the extended family. violence where men would physically assault women Characteristic among the clans in Mara – especially the when in disagreement. A case is cited in the report pastoral communities, is polygamy, serial marriages, and about a man who beat his wife for collecting TASAF female-to-female marriages. Village elders revealed that support funds, right in front of the TASAF officer. cattle-wealthy men have a tendency to marry many wives Although the officer explained to the man that women who bear them many children, resulting in a situation that and not men were supposed to collect TASAF funds, the wealth is spread too thinly across family members, the man was adamant and burned the card, threatening making it hard for the men to meet the cost of living, the officer to stop remitting the funds, the details including the cost of school. of which are presented in the report. Exaggerated masculinity is reflected in the general life of young boys Researchers were informed by the Director of Search after circumcision. The boys, called mu-mura after for Common Grounds, an NGO based in Tarime dealing circumcision, are encouraged to consider themselves with conflict resolutions, that FGM and female-to- brave and superior to women and whoever is female marriages are common among the mainstream uncircumcised. This teaching has an adverse impact on Kuria and Wairege and that the marriages are most the school life of children in these areas as some would conspicuous in Tarime Rural District. According leave school when punished at school. The situation to informers, female-to-female marriages, dubbed is even worse when the teacher giving punishment nyumba ntobo, are marriage arrangements whereby is female. a wife decides to marry a lady to bear her husband children in case the family has no children of their own Belief in witchcraft and superstition is a common cultural for whatever reason. The woman, in consultation with phenomenon and it cuts across all ethnic groups in the husband’s kinsmen, would find a relative (married the region. A student at Tegeruka Secondary School and with children) who would bear children with (Musoma Rural) reported that students used to find the newly married woman whose children would be charms in classrooms which, according to them, are named after the deceased. This marriage arrangement associated with witchcraft and superstitious beliefs. becomes complicated when the family invites other An OOSC in Nyamwaga reported that she dropped men to take over the procreation role of the deceased out of school because she believed that someone was leaving the household with children from different bewitching her. Cases of children leaving school on fathers in the name of the deceased. The consequence witchcraft grounds were not limited to school children of this family type is that there is a sudden expansion alone as some teachers in the region were reported to of family members whom the family is unable to take have sought transfers to other regions to avoid being care of. Female-to-female marriages are related to bewitched. Mara Regional Education Officer reported serial marriages where a man would abandon a wife that last year one teacher sought transfer back to Arusha with children and marry another woman in the same or Region to avoid being bewitched. According to the REO, distant village with whom he would have children before such transfers were numerous among newly posted he leaves her again for another. Sometimes men would teachers. Likewise, a parent reported in Nyamwaga that leave wives in some villages when searching for more if he does not take his daughter for FGM, he would be economically viable jobs like trade, artisanal mining, and bewitched. Beliefs like the ones reported in this study herding cattle. One grandmother noted that this practice from Mara Region create fear in the society, and for results in many single mothers who have children with children who are already at risk of dropping out of school different fathers who do not support them at all. the likelihood of dropping out of school is a reality. Chapter one 9
Matare Primary School (sections of pupils in the area still do not attend four randomly sampled days between the school pictured) near North Mara school regularly. Children interviewed July and September (2015), reveal 287 Acacia Mines in Tarime Rural District, in this school reported that artisanal children miss school daily on average. is among the schools that get support mining and petty trade fuel the high The school has 913 children (boys 443, from the Mining Company in the Area. truancy rate. School attendance records girls 470). The school has good facilities but obtained from the head-teacher for
1.3. Economic characteristics in the region also engage in petty trading which employ a of Mara Region significant number of the youth, especially in townships and near the Tanzania-Kenya border. A detailed discussion on the The region undertakes several economic activities effects of these economic activities on children’s schooling including artisanal fishing, farming, herding cattle, shall be presented in proceeding chapters. and artisanal mining and tourism (URT, 2013)7. Mara Investment Profile (URT, 2013) shows that about 90 1.4. An overview of OOSC in Mara Region per cent of residents in the region live on agriculture. Crops grown include cassava, maize, sorghum, finger Education officers in Mara Region pointed out that the millet, paddy, beans and sweet potatoes. Cotton is the problem of children dropping out of school is alarming. They principal cash crop grown in all the regions’ districts in disclosed that the problem is increasing as the number of various proportions. Coffee, sunflower and groundnuts children increases in the region due to a high fertility rate. are grown to a lesser extent. Coffee is grown mainly in They also reported that dropping out of school is among the Tarime district. Livestock reared in the region include problems facing the region in all the districts in the region. cattle, goats, sheep and donkeys. Due to the nature of However, they indicated that the problem was alarming in pastoralist activities, most of the pastoralist communities urban areas, pastoral, and fishing communities. They also are located far from schools and other social services. reported that townships and border centres face a similar Fishing is the other economic activity in the region which, problem due to petty trading. according to the report, has drawn a large number of youths from villages around the lakeshores as it employs An instance of dropout can be observed by studying recent more than 40 per cent of the region’s labour force. dropout flow in Tarime Rural District. Data from the regional Another economic activity is mining which attracts education office shows that Tarime Rural District registered a good number of young people to work as artisanal 66,493 students in Standard I to VII in 2014 and 11,385 (17.12%) miners near industrial mines such as Catamines and dropped out. The problem is not that straight forward because North Mara Acacia Mining companies. Communities among those 55,108 (82.88%) who remained in school, many
7. URT (2013). Mara Investment Profile. Mara. Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children 10 Mara Region case study report
were at the risk of dropping out of school for one reason or girls did not join lower secondary, against 75 per cent of the other, as will be outlined later in the report. boys who did not join the lower secondary school. This dropout percentage is high for a year in one transitional The regional education officers also revealed that for the class from primary to lower secondary school and sheds whole region in 2014, out of 46,121 Standard VII pupils who some light on OOSC. registered for Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), 1,772 (4%), did not sit the exam. Again, out of those who Another scenario of dropouts was evident in Bugwema sat the examination that year, 18,385 (41%), joined Form I Secondary School in Masinono Village in Musoma Rural in 2015, marking a transitional dropout of 27,736 (60%), District which has a low rate of student registration and a from primary school to secondary school. The dropout is high rate of dropouts. The table below shows the trend of estimated to be higher in girls than in boys. For example, dropout in the Form IV class at the school in 2015 which out of the 18,385 (cited above), who joined lower secondary was registered in 2012 – a total of 86 children; 57 boys education (Form I), in 2015, girls were 7,247 (16%), and and 29 girls, were selected to join Form I in 2012, but boys 11,138 (25%). Table 1.3 illustrates the regional dropout only 72 joined. trend of one Standard VII class enrolled in 2008. In this class about 16 per cent of children selected to join The table below shows that only 7,247 (16%) girls joined Form I in 2012 never did, and out of those who enrolled, lower secondary school which means that 84 per cent of 47 per cent dropped out. The dropout rate is higher in
TABLE 1.3 Dropout trend for pupils registered in Standard I in 2008 in Mara Region
Reg. in Std. I Reg. for PSLE Sat for PSLE. Did not sit for Passed PSLE Joined Sec. Gender (2008) (2014) (2014) PSLE (2014) (2014) Sch. (2015)
Boys 28,231 23,088 22,082 1006 11,138 11,138 Girls 27,616 23,033 22,267 766 7,247 7,247 Total 55,847 46,121 44,349 1772 18,385 18,385
TABLE 1.4 A Four-year dropout trend in 2015 Form IV class in Bugwema Secondary School
Level Year Gender Selected to join Form I in 2012 Dropout Boys 57 5 Standard VII 2011 Girls 29 9 Total 86 14 Reported Dropped out Boys 52 24 Form I 2012 Girls 20 4 Total 72 28 Continued to Form II Dropped out Boys 28 2 Form II 2013 Girls 16 4 Total 44 6 Continued to Form III Dropped out Boys 26 0 Form III 2014 Girls 12 0 Total 38 0 Continued to Form IV Dropped out Boys 26 0 Form IV 2015 Girls 12 0 Total 38 0 Grand total dropout 48 Chapter one 11
the transition from Form I to Form II. The drop out in the high prevalence of dropouts, it suffices to assume that above class in Table 1.4 is similar to the current Form III dropouts, could reflect some of the reasons for OOSC, class which reportedly has registered 12 girls dropping in those specific pockets of the region visited. out due to early marriages since 2013 when the children enrolled in Form I. In 2014, the same class (in Form II 1.5. The case study and its objectives then), reported two pregnant cases, while this year, the Form II class in the same school, has reported the same The case study design is adopted to facilitate an in-depth number of pregnant cases. Dropout trend in 2015 Form III exploration of the OOSC children in their own social class is shown in Table 1.5 below. (NB: 106; 50 boys and cultural and economic contexts. The main idea is to 56 girls were selected to join Form I in 2013). examine many features of being out of school and being at risk of dropping out of school by considering a few cases. As in Table 1.3, the trend in Table 1.4 above, shows that Cases involved individuals, groups, organisations, events, about half dropped out of school. On the other hand, out and geographical units. Thus, the case study examined of those who registered for lower secondary school, about OOSC and children at risk of dropping out of school in a quarter dropped out when in Form III. Similarly, the table their own social cultural and economic environments. shows that the high rate of dropout is in the transition between Form I and Form II. The objective of this case study is to examine social cultural values and practices that promote or hinder the The phenomenal dropout rate can also be observed in educational participation of children from geographically primary school attendance in Tarime Rural District. The or ethnically marginalised groups. The study also aims report from the DEO in Tarime district revealed that at analysing existing curricula to determine the extent the dropout rate is highest in Standard I by 22 per cent to which positive cultural values and practices from and lowest in Standard VII by 8.6 per cent. The other marginalised population groups have been embedded to three classes with a high rate of dropout are Standard enhance demand for education. IV (20.9 percent), Standard III (19.3 percent), and Standard V (18.2 percent). The information shared in 1.6. Organisation of the report this section provides a glimpse of what is going on in the region and sheds light on the state of OOSC under This report is organised in six chapters. Chapter Two the study. Although this data relates to schools with a presents study methodology, Chapter Three presents demand side barriers to school including socio-cultural TABLE 1.5 and economic contexts, Chapter Four presents supply A three-year dropout trend in 2015 Form III class in side barriers to school, and Chapter Five presents the Bugwema Secondary School conclusion and recommendations.
Level Year Gender Selected to join Form I Dropout Boys 50 11 Standard VII 2012 Girls 56 15 Total 106 26 Reported Dropout out Boys 39 8 Form I 2013 Girls 41 14 Total 80 22 Continued to Form II Dropped out Boys 31 4 Form II 2014 Girls 27 2 Total 58 6 Continued to Form III Dropped out Boys 27 0 Form III 2015 Girls 25 0 Total 52 0
Grand total dropout 54 Global Initiative on Out-of-School Children 12 Mara Region case study report
CHAPTER TWO METHODOLOGY
2. Introduction early marriages, and bride wealth, among others which might contribute to OOSC. The region is identified as This chapter discusses the methodology used in being among the regions with diverse ethnic groupings conducting the case study in Mara Region. The study was and diverse social economic activities like artisanal guided by the Conceptual and Methodological Framework pastoralism, artisanal fishing, peasant farming, artisanal (CMF), developed by UNICEF and UIS (UNESCO Institute mining, hunting and gathering. of Statistics) (2011)8 as part of the Global Out-of-School Children Initiative Operational Manual in defining OOSC Initially, the study was supposed to be conducted in using the Five Dimensions of Exclusion (5DE). The five Musoma Urban and Musoma Rural districts only. However, dimensions are listed below: interviews with Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS) and REOs revealed that some of the social economic and 1. Children of pre-primary school age who are cultural activities were found outside Musoma Urban not in pre-primary or primary school and Musoma Rural districts. For instance, RAS and REOs 2. Children of primary school age who are reported that FGM is common in Tarime among the Kuria not in primary or secondary school and Irege who treat the practice as a rite of passage. It was 3. Children of lower secondary school age who also reported that mining activities are concentrated near are not in primary or secondary school industrial gold mines such as North Mara Acacia Mining 4. Children who are in primary school Company, and attracts many artisanal miners including but at risk of dropping out children who might drop out of school. 5. Children who are in lower secondary school but at risk of dropping out. Further, it was disclosed that the town of Sirari along the Tanzanian and Kenyan border is the hub of petty trade The listed dimensions cover not only the OOSC but also which could attract children including those in schools. children who are currently in school but at risk of dropping The administrators also reported that there is a fishing out in the three levels of education – pre-primary, primary village in Rorya district bordering Lake Victoria which, and secondary school. The Conceptual and Methodological according to them, could attract children from school. The Framework (UNESCO and UIS, 2011) defines exclusion study eventually covered the following districts and wards; slightly differently depending on the population concerned. Musoma Urban, Nyakato, Mwigobero, Rwamlimi, Musoma Considering the OOSC, exclusion means excluded from Rural, Tegeruka, Bugwema, Tarime, Matongo, Nyarukoba, education. On the contrary, considering the children at risk Kemambo, Sirari, Rorya and Tai. Figure 2.1 presents the main of dropping out of school, the term means children who districts and wards involved in collecting data for the case may be excluded within education. These may be excluded study. Note that Nyakato, Mwigobore, and Nyakato Wards within education because they may face discriminatory are clustered in near proximity in Musoma Urban. For lack of practices within the school. enough space, Mwigobore Ward is not visible.
2.1. Case study area 2.2. Respondents
Mara Region was selected as a case study area to collect This case study used in-depth interviews with OOSC, data for understanding main social cultural reasons behind children at risk of dropping out of school, the Regional the proliferation of OOSC and children at risk of dropping Educational Officer (REO), District Educational Officers out of school. The region was selected purposively, (DEOs), headmasters, head teachers, teachers, village based on the ongoing social cultural practices like FGM, leaders, key informers and parents and guardians.
8. UNICEF& UIS (2011). Global Out-of-School Children Initiative Operational Manual. Chapter two 13