Tanzania is a confederation of over 120 language groups, which are held together in peaceful union by sound national policies.

In 2002, the Tanzanian government made primary school education free and compulsory and in 2008 secondary school was made compulsory for students who had passed their final primary exams.  However primary schools are in crisis and there is a chronic shortage of secondary schools and secondary school teachers. Secondary students are required to pay a small fee which is often beyond their means. Primary school pass rates are low and even for those who do pass, secondary school is often beyond their reach.

The national education system is not immune to the traumas of poverty and the corruption that is endemic throughout Africa. A culture of ‘survivalism’ permits the misappropriation of funds and materials at all levels, and this is certainly true of the public school system.

Throughout Tanzania, less than 8% of all schools have electricity. Parents are obliged to contribute for each child to help with school expenses. Many families are unable to provide this small cost and as a result their children cannot attend school. On top of this, village communities must bear the burden to construct and maintain their own schools. In regions where the average income per day is less than one dollar per family, this consumes most of the family income.

Teachers have few, if any, teaching materials; rooms are often bare; few children are provided with a desk and chair of any description and even chalk can be unavailable. Teachers may instruct more than 100 children in one classroom that is designed for a maximum of 40.

On graduating from college, young teachers are posted to schools in remote locations far from their homes and families. This has proven to be an excellent policy for the unification of the diverse tribal communities but the hardship for teachers is severe. Accommodation is far below appropriate standard and salaries are embarrassingly low. Marriages break down.

As a result, absenteeism and early retirement from the profession is a serious problem. Most teachers take on other employment to supplement their government salaries or require students to pay tuition for what they miss in class. The situation is compounded when teachers are provided with government loans and the repayments are deducted from their salary. Poor management of personal finance often leaves the teacher with insufficient for basic survival. Teachers feel uncared for and demoralized and this atmosphere then pervades the entire school.

Adopt a School sees this demoralization as the most serious problem in Tanzanian education and works to lessen the effects by providing vital infrastructure, resources, training and expertise to Tanzania’s most disadvantaged schools and communities. In doing so, we work to help families rise out of poverty through the provision of high quality educational opportunities and community development. We work to develop a pride in the school, the profession and the school community.

‘Education is the solution to all the problems of Africa’.  We work tirelessly to materialize a vision for a better tomorrow.