2015年-世界发展银行全球_Tanzania_Engaging_the_Private_Sector_in_Education___SABER_Country_Report_2015_35页_1mb

Summary of Tanzania's SABER Country Report on Engaging the Private Sector in Education

Core Content

This report analyzes how effectively the current policies in Tanzania engage the private sector in basic (primary and secondary) education. It is based on the SABER-EPS framework, which evaluates the extent to which policies promote learning for all children and youth through private education provision. The report outlines four key policy goals for engaging the private sector and provides an overview of Tanzania's education system, highlighting the role of private schools and the challenges they face.

Main Policy Goals and Their Status

1. Encouraging Innovation by Providers

• Status: Emerging (1.51–2.50)
• Key Points:
  • The central government sets minimum standards for teachers and class size, but allows schools to determine teacher salaries and appoint/dismiss teachers independently.
  • This autonomy gives schools the ability to innovate in their operations and curriculum delivery.

2. Holding Schools Accountable

• Status: Established (2.51–3.50)
• Key Points:
  • The government sets learning standards and administers standardized exams in select grades.
  • Schools undergo annual term inspections, and reports are used to create school improvement plans.
  • Sanctions include additional monitoring and, in extreme cases, school closures.

3. Empowering All Parents, Students, and Communities

• Status: Established (2.51–3.50)
• Key Points:
  • Parents and students receive regular information on exam results and are interviewed as part of the inspection process.
  • The government does not provide tax subsidies or cash transfers for families attending private schools, which may limit the empowerment of low-income families.

4. Promoting Diversity of Supply

• Status: Established (2.51–3.50)
• Key Points:
  • The government allows various types of schools (community, not-for-profit, faith-based, for-profit) to operate.
  • Certification standards are not linked to educational outcomes, which may restrict entry into the market.
  • Schools can set their own fees, but are subject to government review.

Key Findings on Private Education in Tanzania

• Private Sector Role: The private sector is mainly involved in secondary education, with a share of 17% of total student enrolments. It has minimal involvement in primary education due to legal restrictions.
• Legal Restrictions: The Education Act of 1978 limits private schools to providing technical education only. This has led to a decline in the share of private students in secondary education over the past decade.
• Enrolment Trends:
  • Primary education is nearly universal, with net enrolment increasing from 61% in 2001 to 96% by 2006.
  • Secondary education has seen an increase in enrolment, but remains low, with gross enrolment at 39% in lower secondary and 4% in upper secondary in 2009.
  • The share of private students in lower secondary education dropped from 40% in 2004 to 16% in 2013, and in upper secondary from 49% to 24%.
• Private School Types:
  • Independent Private Schools: These are the majority, with 968 schools in February 2014 (about 97% of all private schools).
  • Islamic Seminary Schools: 44 schools, offering Islamic studies.
  • Christian Seminary Schools: 32 schools, offering Christian studies.
• Challenges in Access and Equity:
  • Rural and poor children, especially girls, face significant barriers to accessing education due to indirect costs and limited school availability.
  • There is a stark gap in educational outcomes between students from different socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds.

Policy Recommendations

1. Consider public-private partnerships at the secondary level to target low-income and marginalized students and support equity.
2. Ensure that the regulatory environment promotes consistent quality in existing non-state schools.

Education System Overview

• Tanzania's Education System: Follows a 2-7-4-2 structure, with 2 years of preprimary, 7 years of primary, 4 years of lower secondary (O-Level), and 2 years of upper secondary (A-Level).
• Primary Education: Fee-free since 2002, with near-universal access. However, the focus is now shifting to secondary education, equity, and quality.
• Secondary Education: Access remains low, with significant disparities in enrolment and performance based on wealth, geography, and gender.
• Class Sizes: High due to resource constraints and teacher shortages, especially in public schools.
• Government Spending: Increased over the past decade, but still disproportionately allocated to primary and preprimary education, with secondary education receiving less than 20% of total education spending.

Conclusion

Tanzania has made significant progress in expanding access to primary education, but faces substantial challenges in secondary education, particularly in terms of access, equity, and quality. The private sector is a key player in secondary education, but is constrained by legal and policy limitations. The report recommends strengthening the regulatory environment and exploring public-private partnerships to address these challenges and improve educational outcomes for all students.