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TANZANIA: ICT INEDUCATIONSITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

July 2010Report prepared by Dr. Patti Swarts and Ms. EstherMwiyeriaWachiraCopyright noticeThis document is provided under a Creative Commons

License of Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. For moreinformation on this license, please visit the Creative Commonswebsite at http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/Page 2 of67

Table of ContentsEXECUTIVESUMMARY ...........................................................................................51 INTRODUCTION ANDBACKGROUND.........................................................101.1 Purpose of Situational

Analysis .......................................................................101.2 Scope of SituationalAnalysis ..........................................................................101.3Methodology...................................................................................................111.4 Assumptions andLimitations ..........................................................................112 OVERVIEW OF EDUCATION INTANZANIA...............................................122.1 Education policies and

strategies .....................................................................122.2 Structure of the education and trainingsystem.................................................132.3 Governance and management of the educationsystem.....................................152.4 EducationFunding ..........................................................................................162.5 Challenges in the Education and TrainingSector.............................................162.5.1 Standard and quality of

education...........................................................17

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2.5.2Access....................................................................................................172.5.3Equity ....................................................................................................

182.5.4 Summary challenges at each level of the educationsystem.....................183 NATIONAL ICTENVIRONMENT...................................................................203.1 Government commitment toICT.....................................................................203.2 ICT Policies andStrategies..............................................................................213.1 NationalInfrastructure ....................................................................................213.2 ICTinfrastructure............................................................................................223.3Electricity........................................................................................................233.4 Connectivity and the National Fibre Optic CableNetwork ..............................234 STATE OF ICT IN THE EDUCATION AND TRAININGSECTOR..............24

4.1 ICT in Education Policies andstrategies..........................................................244.2 ICT in primary and secondaryschools.............................................................254.3 ICT and teachertraining..................................................................................274.3.1 ICT deployment in TeacherColleges......................................................274.3.2 Using ICT for teachereducation.............................................................284.4 ICT in Vocational

Education ...........................................................................294.5 ICT in HigherEducation .................................................................................294.5.1 Education and ResearchNetworking ......................................................294.5.2 e-Learning in Higher EducationInstitutions ...........................................304.5.3 Local contentdevelopment .....................................................................304.6 ICT and Education Management

(EMIS).........................................................30

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4.7 ICT in AdultEducation ...................................................................................314.8 ICT in Registration and Assessment ofExaminations......................................314.9 Challenges in the implementation of ICT in the Education and

Training Sector314.10 ICT in EducationInitiatives.............................................................................335 INSTITUTIONALCAPACITY..........................................................................345.1 HumanResources............................................................................................345.2 Strategic Leadership and Management/Organizationalstructures.....................355.3 Financial Resources forICT............................................................................35Page 3 of67

5.4 Infrastructure andtechnology ..........................................................................365.5 Processes and programmemanagement ...........................................................365.6 ExternalEnvironment......................................................................................366 GAPS AND

CHALLENGES...............................................................................376.1 Progress made and challenges in using ICT to address Keyeducationalchallenges..................................................................................................................376.2 ICT deployment andintegration ......................................................................406.3 Capacityconstraints ........................................................................................447

CONCLUSIONS..................................................................................................477.1 NextSteps.......................................................................................................48APPENDIXES .............................................................................................................49Appendix 1:Interviewees ..........................................................................................50Appendix 2: Structure and detail of the educationsystem..........................................52

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Primary and SecondaryEducation .........................................................................52TeacherEducation .................................................................................................52

Pre-servicetraining................................................................................................53In-ServiceTraining................................................................................................53Higher Education inTanzania................................................................................54VocationalEducation.............................................................................................54Appendix 3: Agencies Under theMoEVT .................................................................56Tanzania Education Authority(TEA) ....................................................................56Tanzania Institute of Education(TIE) ....................................................................57National Examination Council of Tanzania(NECTA) ...........................................57Vocational Education Training Agency(VETA)....................................................58

Appendix 4: Organogram ofMoEVT ........................................................................59Appendix 5: ICT in Education Initiatives inTanzania................................................61Appendix 6:References.............................................................................................65List of tablesTable 1 - Education objectives versusTargets ...............................................................13Table 2 - Key statistics in the education and training

sector ...........................................15Table 3- InfrastructuralStatistics ...................................................................................23Table 4 - Activities vs. Outputs of the MoEVT/Sidaproject ..........................................28Table 5 - Factors involved in institutionalcapacity........................................................34Table 6 - Major education challenges and how ICTs could addressthem.......................40Table 7 - Challenges related to deployment and

integration ...........................................44

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Table 8 - Capacityconstraints........................................................................................46List of FiguresFigure 1 - Growth in mobile subscriptions (2000-2009).................................................22

Figure 2 - The MoEVTOrganogram ............................................................................59Page 4 of67

LIST OF ACRONYMNSADEM Agency for Development of Education ManagementBEST Basic Education Statistics in TanzaniaCBET Competence Based Education and TrainingCOBET Complementary Basic Education in TanzaniaEFA Education for AllEFE Education for EmpowermentEMIS Education Management Information SystemsESDP Education Sector Development Plan

FOSS Free Open Source SoftwareGDP Gross Domestic ProductGeSCI Global e-Schools and Communities InitiativeIAE Institute of Adult EducationICBAE Integrated Community Based Adult EducationICDL International Computer Driving LicenseICT Information and Communication TechnologyICT4D Information and Communication for DevelopmentLGRP Local Government Reform ProgramMANTEP Management Administration Training Education Personnel InstituteMoEVT Ministry of Education and Vocational TrainingMoU Memorandum of UnderstandingNECTA National Examination Council of Tanzania

NFE Non-Formal EducationNSGRP National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of PovertyOUT Open University of TanzaniaPEDP Primary Education Development PlanPRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy PaperPSRP Public Sector Reform ProgramsSEDP Secondary Education Development PlanSEMP Secondary Education Master PlanSIDA Swedish International Development AgencySMS Short Messaging ServicesTAC Trade Advisory CommitteesTAKNET Tanzania Knowledge NetworkTanEdu Tanzania Education Services

TCRA Tanzania Communication and Regulatory AuthorityTEA Tanzania Education AuthorityTEHAMA Teknolojia ya Habari na MawasilianoTERNET Tanzania Education and Research NetworkTIE Tanzania Institute of EducationTIE Tanzania Institute of EducationTLS Tanzania Library ServicesTOVUTI Website in KiswahiliTSC Teachers Service CommissionTTC Teacher Training CollegeTTCL Tanzania Telecommunication LimitedUCC University Computing Centre

UDSM University of Dar es SalaamUN United NationsVETA Vocational Education Training Agency

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VETA Vocational Education Training AgencyZANTEL Fixed telephone line providerPage 5 of67

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYIntroduction and background

The Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GeSCI) is a globalorganizationoffering strategic advice to the education and training sector(primarily Ministries ofEducation) in developing countries on the effective use of ICT forEducation. GeSCI isnot a funding or implementing agency. It is a technical assistance andcapacity buildingorganization. Its work focuses on a) assisting countries to developcomprehensiveframeworks, policies and strategies; b) assisting the government toconvene, align andcoordinate stakeholders; c) providing technical and strategic advicein the deploymentand integration of ICT in Education and d) building the capacity of therelevantgovernment agencies and other stakeholders to enable them toeffectively acquire, deployand manage ICT for Education.In GeSCIs current strategic phase (2009 2011) it intends to engagewith more countries

and Tanzania, among other countries, has been identified as apossible country to engagewith. Before GeSCI can engage with any country, it carries out adetailed situationalanalysis to scan the ICT in Education landscape and do problemidentification. Based onthis, GeSCI develops an engagement strategy in consultation with thecountry. Thesituational analysis is meant to develop a general understanding ofthe main educationissues, determine the countrys interest in using ICT for Education,

determine progressmade in deploying and using ICT in the Education sector, identify keychallenges inusing ICT in the Education sector and determine if there is a role forGeSCI to play.

MethodologyThe situational analysis for Tanzania was carried out between Juneand November 2009using three broad processes: i) a desk study of relevant governmentand other related

documents; ii) a country visit, which took place 15th -19thJune 2009,during which

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interviews, meetings and focus group discussions were held with keystakeholders(Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and its agencies, othergovernmentagencies in charge of ICT, educational institutions and development

partners) involved inICT in education initiatives, and a Round Table meeting ofstakeholders met on 19 June2009 during which the preliminary findings of the country visit werepresented,discussed and validated. A more elaborated version of the findingswere presented on 20October 2009 to the participants of the workshop on theDevelopment of a Framework forICT Use in Teacher Professional Development for Pre-Service and In-Service Trainingin Tanzania.Tanzania was selected for more intensive analysis as it met GeSCIscriteria whether acountry is ready and suitable for GeSCI assistance. The criteriainclude: being adeveloping country; PRSP and education strategies prioritise ICT;demand from andcommitment from government to work with GeSCI and it being apriority country forGeSCIs donors.

Page 6 of67Main findings: the state of ICT in EducationThe main findings of this situational analysis are grouped under fivecategories:Government awareness and support for the potential of ICT toaddress key educationalchallenges; the main ICT in Education initiatives underway, currentstate of deploymentof ICT in the educational system; current usage and integration of ICTin the educationsystem and the capacity of the ministry of education to effectively

plan for, deploy andmanage ICT for the education sector.Government awareness and commitment to ICT in educationThe Situational Analysis reveals that the government and the MoEVTrecognize thepotential of ICT to act as a tool for improving education delivery,outcomes and impact,as evidenced through the national plans, policies and strategies. TheTanzania Vision2025, the key national development strategy, recognizes the role of

education as a

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strategic change agent for transformation of the economy to aknowledge economy, andidentifies the potential of ICT to address most of the developmentchallenges includingthose presented by education. The National ICT Policy of 2003

recognizes that ICT canenhance education opportunities and advocates for the introductionof an e-educationsystem. The Education Sector Development Plan (ESDP) recognizesthe role of computerstudies in fostering technological and scientific developments, withthe education sectorreview reiterating the need to expand the use of ICT to improve onthe quality ofeducation.ICT in Education InitiativesA number of initiatives are currently being implemented to trainteachers andadministrators (e.g. Education for Empowerment, Rotary Club/UK,Bright EducationTrust Fund), to provide refurbished or new computers to schools (e.g.Rotary Club,Barclays Bank), to provide educational information, resources andservices (e.g. TanzaniaEducation Services), to provide pedagogical and subject support tosecondary teachers

(e.g. SPIDER, OUT, UDSM, NoPC, MoEVT) and to pilot the use ofmobile phones intraining teachers to deliver Maths and Science content (e.g. OUT,Bridge-IT). Sidasupported the TCs in computerization and training of tutors andtechnical staff.ICT deployments in schools, universities and othereducational institutionsWhile no official estimates exist, there appears to be a very smallnumber of primary andsecondary schools with ICT and there was no government initiative to

provide ICT forschools. Those with ICT have either benefited from parentcontributions or donationsfrom non-governmental organizations and some private sectorcompanies. However, theMoEVT is now planning to provide ICT to schools in a phasedapproach with an initial200 secondary schools expected to benefit from this programme inthe next two years.The priority for ICT deployment by the MoEVT has been in the teacher

education

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colleges. The implementation of ICT in Teacher Colleges (TCs) wasstarted in 2005 as ajoint venture between MoEVT and the Swedish InternationalDevelopment Agency(Sida) with the main goal to improve on the quality of pre-service and

in-service teachereducation by using ICT. All 34 public TCs were equipped with thinclient solutions andPage 7 of67

VSAT connectivity, tutors were trained in computer literacy and tutortechniciansreceived training in technical maintenance support and networkingessentials.The vocational training sector also appears to have madeinvestments in ICT. Of the 22centers owned by the VETA, it was reported that about 15 of them

have ICT facilitiesand run ICT courses.The universities and other tertiary institutions have made significantinvestments in ICT.All universities have computer centers available to the studentpopulation and many havehigh bandwidth connections through satellite (VSAT). In recent years,the TanzaniaEducation Network (TERNET) was created to provide an electronicnetwork that will

connect all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the country as wellas researchfacilities and teacher colleges. The arrival of submarine fiber toTanzania and theinstallation of the national fiber backbone are expected to greatlybenefit universities andother educational institutions, providing high speed internetconnections for research andeducation.Usage and integration of ICT in the education systemICT, if appropriately used can assist in addressing the key educational

challenges, e.g. elearningand m-learning technologies and alternative delivery systems foraccess; richand interactive digital content to improve quality; assistivetechnologies to contribute toequity; and the inclusion of ICT skills in the curriculum and the use ofICT to support 21stcentury learning can increase relevance.ICT in the education system is mainly used for ICT skills training. Evenwith very fewprimary schools equipped with ICT, a curriculum has been developedfor ICT in primary

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and pre-primary education, Teknolojia ya Habari na Mawasiliano(TEHAMA). However,this ICT as a subject is only taught in a few schools in the urban areasand near thedistrict headquarters where institutions have access to electricity

Teacher Colleges, with their impressive infrastructure, are alsooffering ICT training fortrainees. Teacher educators have received training in the use of ICTfor teaching andlearning but all accounts suggest that this training is focused on basicICT skills.Advanced ICT training for 2-4 tutors in each college has been offeredbased on Ciscocertification.Courses at the Vocational Educational Training Authority (VETA)centres range frombasic ICT literacy to technical maintenance and support and networkadministration.Plans to build an ICT centre of excellence by VETA in Dar Es Salaamare underway.In 2008, there were two HEIs making use of digital learningenvironments namely theUniversity of Dar Es Salaam (UDSM) and the Open University ofTanzania (OUT). Anumber of universities however offer general ICT training for teachersand students.

Aside from basic ICT skills training and some limited use of e-learningat UDSM andOUT, the real integration and exploitation of ICT to address issues ofaccess and qualityPage 8 of67

seems to be extremely limited. There are signs that this is set tochange at least at theuniversity and teacher training levels. OUT and UDSM continue toexperiment withvarious e-learning tools and strategies although none of these havebeen taken to scale.

The MoEVT is exploring ways of addressing the challenges of teachershortages byleveraging the existing ICT infrastructure at the teacher colleges toincrease pre- and inservicetraining capacity.Outside of the education and training institutions, ICT is being put toprocessing ofexaminations in the general management of the education systemusing EducationalManagement Information Systems (EMSI). The processing ofexaminations by theNational Examinations Council of Tanzania (NECTA) using ICT startedin 1998.

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Currently interactive web portals for distribution of examinationresults and the provisionof application forms and information in the form of CD ROMs arebeing employed.Efforts are underway to develop an ICT infrastructure supported by

the government fiberoptic backbone to support transmission of data and voice which willbe used to facilitatethe implementation of an Examination Management System based onrelationaldatabases. An EMIS system has been developed and deployed at theMoEVTheadquarters in Dar es Salaam and at the regional and district officesand these officeshave been equipped with computers and printers. Training foreducational managers atthese different levels has also been completed. As a result, the EMISsystem is now usedto collate, analyze and publish education data and informationthrough an annualpublication called the Basic Education Statistics in Tanzania (BEST).Capacity of the MoEVTThe effective integration and utilization of ICT depends on thecapacity of the system toperform and execute activities of planning, implementation andevaluation. Institutional

capacity depends on adequate and skilled human resources, strategicleadership, financialresources, infrastructure, programme management and on aconducive externalenvironment. A comprehensive capacity audit of the education sectorwould need to bedone to determine the capacity gaps and needs, but a cursoryassessment revealed thatalthough government commitment is high as evidenced by thepolicies and strategies,organizational structures and culture, lack of skills in critical areas,

lack of strategicvision and planning, insufficient financial resources and inadequateinfrastructure hamperthe ability of the sector to integrate and use ICT effectively.

Key Challenges and GapsThe challenges in acquiring, deploying and using ICT effectively toaddress educationchallenges of access to education, quality of teaching and learning,relevance of thecurriculum and equity in access, can be broadly grouped into three

categories:

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1. Inadequate national ICT and electricity infrastructure especially inthe rural areas:The telecommunication network is limited to the main cities andinternet access costsare still high making it difficult for schools and other educational

institutions toaccess or afford internet access. However, the telecommunicationsinfrastructure inthe country is improving rapidly in capacity and reach. And whileTanzania recordedenormous growth in mobile subscriptions, education has not yettapped into thisPage 9 of67

technology to deliver services to especially rural communities whohave remainedunderserved owing to the challenges of cost, electricity and

connectivity. The limitedelectricity supply network also greatly hinders the deployment of ICTto schoolsespecially in the semi-urban and rural areas.2. Limited capacity throughout the system and especially at theMoEVT: Lack ofcapacity at all levels to integrate and use ICT effectively has beencited as a majorconcern during the situational analysis. These capacity constraintsinclude lack of

coordination of ICT in education activities, limited informationsharing, limited skillsfor integration of ICT in education, ineffective organizationalstructures at the variouseducation management levels to accommodate ICT integration inteaching andlearning, lack of incentives and schemes of service for ICT trainedpersonnel toreduce attrition, and resource constraints.3. Lack of an end-to-end strategy: successful and effective use of ICTrequires that

governments focus on all the elements of an end-to-end system thatinclude thetechnology, electronic content and curriculum integration,maintenance and support,teacher training and monitoring and evaluation. There is littleevidence that concertedefforts are being directed at the development or adaption ofelectronic content orintegration into the curriculum, the development of effectivemaintenance and supportmechanisms, the systematic training of teachers or the continuousmonitoring and

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evaluation of ICT use in schools to determine effectiveness andinform futureprogrammes.

ConclusionsDespite the challenges outlined above, it must be pointed out that

the strong governmentcommitment to using ICT to address educational and other nationalchallenges presents aunique opportunity for the educational and training sector, under theleadership of theMoEVT, to exploit the potential of ICT.The conclusions from the Situational Analysis are:1) that there is potential and scope for GeSCI to engage theeducation and trainingsector on ICT in Education in a mutually beneficial way

2) that the time is right for a GeSCI engagement as demonstrated bythe ICT inEducation initiatives and the recognition of the role ICT can play toaddress thekey educational challenges3) that there is an understanding in the MoEVT of what GeSCI doesand what it canoffer based on the assistance GeSCI provided towards thedevelopment ofAFramework for ICT Use in Teacher Professional Development inTanzania in

2009.Page 10 of67

1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUNDThe Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GeSCI) was foundedby the UnitedNations ICT Task Force in 2004. GeSCIs aim and mission is to workwith, empowerand build the strategic capacity of Ministries of Education and othergovernmentdepartments to effectively and efficiently plan for, deploy and

integrate ICT in theireducation systems. Most of GeSCIs work focuses on providing expertstrategic advice tosenior policy and decision makers on policy development, strategicplanning, andstrengthening the institutional capacity of key governmentinstitutions to plan andimplement ICT in Education programmes within a wider framework ofdevelopingknowledge economies and societies.In GeSCIs current strategic phase (2009 -2011) it intends to engage

with more countries

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and Tanzania, among other short listed countries, has been identifiedas a possiblecountry to engage with in a more systematic and comprehensivemanner.

1.1 Purpose of Situational AnalysisBefore GeSCI engages with a country, GeSCI undertakes a number ofstudies tounderstand the ICT and Education situation on the ground todetermine if and how GeSCIshould engage with the government and education sector. Byunderstanding the situationon the ground, GeSCI is able to craft an appropriate strategy forengaging and workingwith the country jointly with the government. This is important asGeSCIs work is

demand-driven and is based on the governments own priorities andstrategies.The situational analysis also serves to document the state of ICT inEducation in thecountry and therefore provides an important baseline to measureprogress made in thefuture. This situational analysis document is therefore useful to theGovernment as wellas other stakeholders in the sector.

1.2 Scope of Situational AnalysisThe successful use and integration of ICT in Education depends on a

number of criticalfactors which include:1. A favorable external environment which includes governmentcommitment toICT in general and ICT in Education specifically, national ICTinfrastructure,enabling policies and strategies and concomitant practical actions bythegovernments to promote ICT in development in general andspecifically in

education.2. A holistic approach to ICT integration which goes beyond thetechnologicaldimension to include aspects of policy and planning, curriculum andcontent,teacher training, maintenance and technical support and continuousmonitoringand evaluation.3. Adequate institutional capacities from the Ministries in charge ofeducation andtraining down to the school level.

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These three factors form the framework for the review of the state ofICT in Education inTanzania. In addition, a brief overview of the education sector ispresented. Finally, thereview looks at whether there is interest and scope for GeSCIs

support and which areasshould be prioritized.

1.3 MethodologyIn assessing the current ICT in Education situation, a two phasedapproach was followed:Phase 1 concentrated on gathering and verifying data collected.GeSCI relied on threeprimary processes in this phase: A desk study of relevant documents (April - September 2009) Meetings and interviews with key government ministries anddepartments,institutions, agencies and development partners (May-September2009). Round table meeting (19th May 2009) with partners met with andinterviewed to shareand verify initial findings.Considerable time was spent on telephone interviews with variousMoEVT officials toacquire additional information and to verify information obtained fromwritten sourcesand during face-to-face interviews.

Phase 2 focused on analysing the data collected and verified toidentify the current stateof play, the main issues and challenges, limitations and implications.Based on thisanalysis, priority areas were identified for GeSCI to focus on. Theseareas are proposed atthe end of this document.

1.4 Assumptions and LimitationsThe main limitation to this study was the lack of documentedactivities, statistics and

processes for ICT use and integration in the education sector inTanzania. Sources ofinformation were sometimes conflicting e.g. those in documentsavailable online andthose verbally presented to GeSCI during interviews. Nevertheless,we have used theavailable information to draw some initial conclusion and highlightedany assumptionsused throughout the document.Further, the findings herein are from the Ministry of Education andVocational Training

in mainland Tanzania and do not include Zanzibar and Pemba.Page 12 of67

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2 OVERVIEW OF EDUCATION IN TANZANIATanzania has an average population of 40 million inhabitants and

occupies945,087 (sq km)1. The United Republic of Tanzania is a result of thepolitical unionbetween mainland Tanganyika and the off-shore islands of Zanzibarand Pemba.Zanzibar has its own government and its own Ministry of Education.Administratively,the country is divided into 25 regions with 126 districts in all2.Dodoma is the officialcapital and home to Tanzanian Parliament while the governmentministries and majorinstitutions and diplomatic missions are located in Dar Es Salaam.Swahili is the officiallanguage with English being used as the official primary language ofcommerceadministration and higher education.In Tanzania, 43.5% of the population is between 0-14 years, 53.7%between 15-64 yearsand 2.8% above 65 years of age with a projected annual growth rateof 2.07% in 20083.The literacy level for the total population has been recorded at

69.4%4. The Tanzanianeconomy is heavily dependent on agriculture which employs 80% ofthe workforce andaccounts for half of the GDP5.The basic issues in development are elaborated in Vision 2025 withthree principalobjectives6 which are: (1) achieving quality and good life for all, (2)good governance,and the rule of law and, (3) building a strong and resilient economythat can effectivelywithstand global competition. Education has been noted in Vision

2025 as a strategicchange agent for transformation and creation of an educated nation.ICT is beingrecognized as a major driving force for the realization of Vision 2025.It has been notedthat the task demands adequate investments to improve the qualityof science basededucation and the creation of a knowledge-based society.

2.1 Education policies and strategiesAt the national level, the importance of education for Tanzanias

development is

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highlighted in the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction ofPoverty (NSGRP)7 of2005 which regards education as one of the keys to over reductionand improvement ofquality of life and social well-being.

At the sectoral level, the Education and Training Policy of 1995 andthe Education SectorDevelopment Programme (ESDP) of 2001 envision education as a keyto socio-economicdevelopment. The national and sector policies and strategies allhighlight priorityobjectives and targets for the education sector which are captured inthe table below.1 http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1516/Tanzania-EDUCATIONAL-SYSTEMOVERVIEW.html

2 http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/goes/tz.html3 http://www.indexmundi.com/tanzania/demographics_profile.html4 http://www.faqs.org/docs/factbook/print/tz.html5 http://www.enotes.com/world-fact-book/tanzania-tz#cia-Economy6 http://www.tanzania.go.tz/vision.htm7 http://www.tanzania.go.tz/pdf/nsgrptext.pdfPage 13 of67Table 1 - Education objectives versus Targets8Education and Training Sector Objectives Targets_ To decentralize management of institutions so as todevolve more powers of managing and administeringeducation and training to regions, districts,communities, educational and training institutions.

_ To improve the quality of education both formal andnon-formal through strengthening in-service trainingof teachers and tutors; supply adequate teachinglearningmaterials; rehabilitation of school/collegeand training institution and facilities; consolidate preserviceteacher training programmes; promoteresearch in education and training institutions;strengthen monitoring and evaluation_ To promote access and equity to basic education byencouraging equitable distribution of educationinstitutions and resources_ To broaden the base for education financing byencouraging cost-sharing measures and establishmentof education funds_ To promote science and technology by intensifyingtechnical and vocational education and training_ To expand provision of education both formal andnon-formal by involving the private sector_ Eliminate illiteracy by 2010_ Attain Universal Primary Education by 2010_ Raise the minimum qualification for primary schoolteachers to Grade A by 2003_ Provide all schools and training institutions withadequate and appropriate instruction materials andstandard physical infrastructure by 2010

_ Establish Nationwide network of Teacher ResourceCenters_ Teacher/Pupil ration to be 1:45 (primary), 1:35

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(lower secondary), 1:30 (upper secondary) and 1:25(teacher training colleges) 1:12 (Higher education)by 2010._ Raise minimum qualifications for Teachers Collegetutor to be a university degree with education._ Raise achievement in academic performance at all

levels of education to 75%._ Attain 50% transition rate from primary tosecondary education by 2003_ Ensure all regions have ICBAE programmes by2005_ Increase capacity intake in higher learninginstitutions and technical education by 2010.

The specific educational interventions required to meet theseeducation targets have beenaddressed through:Primary Education Development Plan (2002-2006) (PEDP):Thefour components of

PEDP are enrollment expansion, quality improvement, capacitybuilding, andstrengthening institutional arrangements.Secondary Education Development Plan (2004-2009) (SEDP):The main objective ofSEDP is to enroll more children in secondary schools by increasing thetransition ratefrom primary to secondary to 50% by 2010, increase the number ofstudents for uppersecondary to 25% of those who complete form 4, increase retention

of students in theschools, ensure quality and relevant education, and achieve bettermanagement anddelivery of secondary education services through devolution ofauthority to regions, localauthorities, school boards and institutions.

2.2 Structure of the education and training systemThe education and training system is a combination of a formal andan informal system.Formal Education System

8 www.enable.nu/.../D_1_7_Tanzania_Education_Policy_Overview.pdf

Page 14 of67The formal system involves 7 years of primary education, 4 years inlower secondary(Ordinary or O Level), 2 years in senior secondary (Advanced or ALevel) and aminimum of 3 years in tertiary or university education.Early childhood education lies partly with the Ministry of CommunityDevelopment,Gender and Children and the Ministry of Education with the latterfocusing on the preprimarylevel. Special Education is offered as part of the formal systemthrough: Special

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schools which cater for children with special learning needs;Integrated units, which caterfor children with special learning needs but are attached to regularschools; and Inclusiveschools which cater for children with special learning needs in a

regular classroom butchildren with special learning needs are assisted by a specializedteacher.Non formal Education SystemNonFormal Education (NFE) is defined by the Ministry of Educationand VocationalTraining, as any organized, systematic, educational activity carriedoutside theframework of the formal education system to provide selected typesof learning toparticular sub groups in the population which include adults, youthand children. TheNFE system comprises mostly of adult literacy implemented underthe IntegratedCommunity Based Adult Education (ICBAE) and programmestargeting out-of-schoolchildren and youth offered through Complementary Basic Educationin Tanzania(COBET) Centers. COBET graduates have the opportunity to join atthe formal educationsystem at pre-determined levels.

Vocational training caters for those who do not follow the formalsystem of educationand runs parallel to the formal sector. Vocational training is throughcenters which areregulated by the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA)9.VETA is anautonomous government agency charged with the overallresponsibility of coordinating,regulating, financing, providing and promoting vocational educationand training.A unique feature of Tanzanias education system is the bilingual

policy, which requireschildren to learn both Kiswahili and English. Kiswahili is the mediumof instruction atprimary education level. It is taught as a compulsory subject atsecondary education andis optional in tertiary education. English is taught as a compulsorysubject in primaryeducation whereas it becomes the medium of instruction at postprimary education.The table below provides a summary of key statistics in the education

and training sector.

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Details of the structure of the education system are provided inAppendix II.9 http://www.moe.go.tz/Vocational_Training.htmlPage 15 of67Table 2 - Key statistics in the education and training sectorLevel No. of Institutions Number of GER Number of TeachersStudentTeacherPublic PrivateStudents(000) % Trained UntrainedTotalRatioPre Primary 896146 39 4489 12687448955:1Primary 15727 8,441,553 110.5157,185

Secondary 3283 819 1,466,402 43.6 33954 43:1TTCs Primary/Diploma 34 43 353711678Universities95525Adult andNon-formalEducation 95728945879Source (BEST), TCRA and Ministry of Science and Technology, 2009

2.3 Governance and management of the education

systemThe Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT) isresponsible for theformal education sector. It is headed by a minister and has apermanent secretary, achief education officer, and several directors in charge of basiceducation, secondaryeducation, teacher education, policy and planning, administration andpersonnel,inspection of schools and vocational training. The MoEVT includes a

number of semiautonomousagencies: Agency for Development of Education Management(ADEM),Institute of Adult Education (IAE), National Examinations Council ofTanzania(NECTA), Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE), Tanzania LibrariesServices Board(TLSB) and Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) andthe TanzaniaEducation Authority (TEA).The day-to-day management of primary and secondary schools is

under the Ministry of

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Local Government whereas teacher education and universities areunder MoEVT. TheMinistry of Local Government is also involved in the posting ofteachers to the variousschools. The remuneration of teachers is under the Ministry of

Finance alongside allother civil servants.A Regional Education Officer coordinates all regional educationmatters. ADistrict/Municipal Education Officer heads the District/Municipaleducation office.Whereas the Ministry has overall responsibility for running theeducation system, eachdistrict/municipal office is responsible for school buildings in its areaas well as for thesupply of equipment and materials to the schools. The Ministry has anationalinspectorate whose task is to conduct a full inspection of each schoolin the country onceevery two years. Each district office also has a team of schoolinspectors whose task is tovisit each school in the district at least twice a year and to advise andhelp all teacherswith their teaching. There are no regional school inspectors but ratherzonal schoolinspectors who mainly visit secondary schools, and teacher colleges.

Page 16 of672.4 Education FundingReports from the Finance Minister indicate that in the Tsh 6.066trillion ($6 billion)budget (2009/2010), Education is the largest sector catered for withTsh1.0 trillion ($900million) which is equivalent to 18.3% of the budget.10 It was notpossible at the time toascertain how this budget will be divided between the different levelsof education andfor what purposes. Funding of essential teaching and learning

materials are disbursedthrough capitation grant.In his analysis of the 2009/2010 education budget, Mosha (2009)11notes that the risingenrolments in primary education will further increase the student:learning materials ratiowhich has remained unmatched with the allocation of capitationgrant. This grant wasinitially set at $10 per primary school pupil in PEDP 2001-2006, whichwas largely

funded by the donors. In the second phase of PEDP (2007 2011) thisgrant has been

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reduced to $7.7 and is funded by the government. Guidelines for themedium term planindicate that this will be further reduced to $6.1 per pupil. Moshaquoted the current ratioto learning materials to pupils as being 5:1 and adds that there are

no deliberate efforts toallocate increased finances for teaching and learning materials inorder to reach thedesirable 1:1 ratio by 2010. This is clearly not in step with theincreased enrollmentsoccasioned by the successful implementation of PEDP as discussedearlier.Mosha further argues that quality education should be redefined asthe current focus is oninfrastructure and specifically construction of classrooms. This henotes needs to bebalanced with activities that improve learners outcomes whichinclude improvedresources for teachers and students, incentives to increase teachermotivation, and teachertraining.In higher education, the government despite the existence of cost-sharing continues tofinance both public and private higher education institutions throughdisbursing interestfree loans through the Higher Education Students Loans Board

(HESLB) and theTanzania Education Authority (TEA). This has been noted to beunsustainable(Ishengoma, 2008)12. The government remains the main source offunding for highereducation followed by the donors. This funding has been noted toprogressively reducedue to competing priorities in every subsequent year. All publicuniversities areundertaking various income generation activities as part of a revenuediversification

strategy under the cost sharing policy. However, this has beenreported to be small andinsignificant at the moment and may not make these institutionsfinancially autonomous.

2.5 Challenges in the Education and Training SectorAccording to the Basic Education Master Plan (BEMP) and theSecondary EducationMaster Plan (SEMP), the challenges facing the education and trainingsector have beenhighlighted as: standard and quality of education, access and

participation.10 http://www.pwc.com/en_TZ/tz/pdf/tanzania-budget-2009.pdf11 http://www.policyforum-tz.org/files/EducationBudgetBrief.pdf

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12 http://www.foundation-partnership.org/ulf/presentations/105/S4_Ishengoma.docPage 17 of67

2.5.1 Standard and quality of educationThe standard and quality is reflected in the progression rates,repetition rates, poor

performance in the science and maths subjects, limited access totextbooks and a largenumber of under-qualified teachers. These challenges areprogressively being addressedwith notable improvements. As noted in the Tanzania humandevelopment report13, oneof the goals of BEMP was to raise performance, decrease student toteacher ratios,rationalise teacher workloads for greater efficiency, and shift thesalary: no-salaryspending from 93:7 to 80:20 by 2002. This was to be achieved

through redeployment ofteachers, devolving authority and resources of school to localauthorities and involvementof communities in the development of school infrastructures. Effortsto establish theprogress that has been achieved in this area did not bear much fruit.According to the National Report of the United Republic of Tanzaniaon TheDevelopment of Education (MoEVT, 2008) 14 one of the majorchallenges in primary

education is that unequal attention has been paid to enrolmentexpansion and otherobjectives, namely quality improvement, capacity building andinstitutional arrangementsor management (p. 3). Indications are, however, that the MoEVT aremaking efforts toaddress these issues as evidenced through the recent developmentof a Framework forICT Use in Teacher Professional Development in Tanzania (2009)which maps out howto address the challenges of teacher shortages in key subjects

(Mathematics, Science andEnglish), teacher quality and teacher support using the existing ICTinfrastructure in theTeacher Colleges (TCs) for pre-service and in-service programmesand on-going learningof teachers. Other challenges cited include congestion in classrooms,lack of teachingand learning materials, high student: teacher and student: learningmaterials ratios andlack of adequate infrastructure. As a result of under-qualifiedteachers in the systemteachers are sometimes unable to teach topics that are otherwisedeemed difficult to

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teach.It is also reported in the above publication that PEPD II (2007 -2011)has three additionalareas of focus to address the challenges, namely 1) cross-cuttingissues (HIV and AIDS,

environmental education and gender equality); 2) educationalresearch, and 3) monitoringand evaluation.2.5.2 AccessGross enrolments in the primary education were recorded at 110.5%,in 2008 with acomparative 43.6% in secondary schools. This is also evidenced bythe fact that there are4,102 secondary schools with 1,4466,402 students as compared to15,727 primaryschools with 8,441,553 pupils. In addition to expansion in the formalsystem, thegovernment implemented two main Adult and Non-Formal Educationprogrammes, viz.ICBAE and COBET. According to the National Report of the UnitedRepublic ofTanzania on the Development of Education (2008, p. 12) more thanhalf a million out-of-13 http://www.tzonline.org/pdf/Tanzaniahumandevelopmentreport.pdf14 http://www.ibe.unesco.org/National_Reports/ICE_2008/tanzania_NR08.pdfPage 18 of67

school children have been able to get primary education through theCOBET programme.The same report (p. 13) states that more than one million adultsabove 19 years of agehave improved their literacy skills, established income generatingprojects and creditschemes through ICBAE. However, despite these impressiveachievements, issues ofaccess are still enormous in secondary education in the ordinary andadvanced levels.

2.5.3 Equity

The challenge of gender parity and equity in access to education isalso prevalent inTanzania as in most African countries. It was noted during interviewsthat the inequity inquality in underserved areas is further compounded by the failure ofteachers to take jobsin these areas. The result is a higher concentration of teachers in theurban and moreeconomically stable regions leaving the remote areas furtherunderserved in terms ofquality and quantity of teachers.

Addressing gender issues across the education system will make animportant

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contribution to the achievement of access, quality and equity whichare the major goals ofthe Education and Training Policy (1995). The establishment of theCross-Cutting IssuesTechnical Working Group (CCITWG) is an indication of the MoEVTs

readiness tomainstream gender issues. This group was mandated to supportmainstreaming of threeparticular cross-cutting issues (CCIs) across PEDP, namely gender,HIV/AIDS andenvironment.2.5.4 Summary challenges at each level of theeducation systemCategory Gaps/ChallengesPrimary education_ Overcrowded classrooms_ High ratio of students to teaching and learning materials

_ Poor quality of teaching and learning especially in the sciences_ High student to teacher ratio_ Inability of teachers to teach some topics in the new curriculum especiallyafter it was reviewedSecondary education_ High student to teacher ratios_ Trained teachers do not want to go to rural areas_ Shortage of teaching and learning materials_ Competing priorities when allocating funds as most funds are directed toinfrastructure_ Few schools have computers installed_ No coordination mechanism in the deployment of ICTs in secondary_ Shortage of science teachers as most of those trained migrate professionallyto other non-teaching professions

_ In-service training not coordinated_ Science laboratories not enough hampering quality in the teaching of sciencesTeacher Colleges_ High costs of internet connectivity_ Lack of funds to replace ICT facilities_ Ratio of computers to user is high, 1:20_ High attrition rates of trained ICT tutors who move on to greener pastures_ Unreliable power supply which increases breakdown of equipment.Page 19 of67Blackouts also interrupt established programmes_ Lack of experts in ICT Pedagogy_ Lack of experts in developing e-content and digital resources_ Inadequate funds for ICT related activities_ Inadequate bandwidth and support for network systems management_ ICT curriculum and syllabus require review to increase relevance_ Lack of digital content that is relevant to the Tanzanian context and aligned tothe curriculum_ Poor motivation, recognition and compensation for ICT personnel_ Lack of awareness on the potential of ICT in addressing challenges ineducation_ Organization in the Ministry to spell out roles and responsibility structuredoes not adequately cater for ICT integration in teaching and learning_ Poor coordination of ICT related activities between the various departmentsand sharing of information at the Ministry level is limitedHigher EducationInstitutions

_ Limited financing and affordability of tuition by students_ Low participation rates (1.3%)15 one of the lowest in Sub Saharan Africa_ Gender equity

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_ Quality Assurance and relevance_ Few applicants for Science, engineering and technology fields_ Inadequate application of ICT in HEI for enhancing their operationalefficiency and advancement_ Inadequate funding for research in science and technology15 http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWBISFP/Resources/0_Prof_Msolla.pdf

Page 20 of673 NATIONAL ICT ENVIRONMENTICT in Education cannot and should not be divorced from the largernationaldevelopment strategy. For countries like Tanzania which aspire tobecome knowledgesocieties, ICT and Education should be seen as key drivers in theproduction and use ofknowledge. Therefore ICT in Education should be situated not onlywithin the education

policy and strategy but also within the broader national developmentstrategy. Thesesectoral and national policies and strategies coupled with stronggovernment commitmentand understanding of the role of ICT and Education are the basis forthe existence ofconducive and enabling environment under which ICT can flourishand be put to use tocontribute to socio-economic development. These national policiesinfluence the extent towhich national ICT and related infrastructure like electricity are

developed. But also, thespread and use of ICT in Education depends to some extent on theavailable national ICTinfrastructure. These issues are examined in more detail for Tanzaniain the sections thatfollow.

3.1 Government commitment to ICTGovernment and political commitment to ICT is a critical successfactor in the bid to useICT for development and for education. Without government

commitment, it is difficultto create conducive environments (political, legal, and regulatory) forICT to flourish. InTanzania, there is clear and ample evidence of the governmentssupport for ICT indevelopment and in education.The governments commitment to use ICT to address variouseducation challenges isexemplified in various policy papers. In national policy documents(National ICT Policy,Vision 2025, , NSGRP) and sector policies (ESDP) ICT is outlined as a

powerful

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developmental facilitator in the fight against poverty, ignorance anddisease. Thegovernment allocates finances to promote ICT and is also obliged toset standards inorder to ensure compatibility. It is stated in the same documents that

the governmentshould encourage all sectors to invest in ICT development.The government established the Ministry of Communication, Scienceand Technology,which among other tasks, has to create a conducive environment forinvestment,introduction and use of ICT in national development efforts andgovernment operations.With the support of the United Nations under the One UN Initiativethe TanzaniaKnowledge Network (TAKNET) was launched in 2009 for knowledgecreation, sharingand application in critical development areas. It will focus amongothers on the role ofICT in enhancing the livelihoods of the rural poor.1616 Katunzi, N. (2009). Speech by Dr. Naomi Katunzi, Permanent Secretary Ministry ofCommunication,Science and Technology at the launch of the Tanzania Knowledge Network, NewAfrica Hotel, Dar EsSalaam, 30 January 2009. www.swopnet.org/docs/guestofhonourspeechkatunzi.pdfPage 21 of67

The government also has one of the most liberal ICT sectors on the

continent with theestablishment of Tanzania Communication Commission in 1994.According to ITU,Telecommunications regulatory activities including the licensing ofoperators, partial/fullprivatization of government owned operators and the involvement ofthe private sector astelecommunications operators has resulted in fulfilled demands andincreased access.The policy on the liberalization of the ICT sector is reflected in: the increase in the establishment of an independent regulatoryagency, the increase in partial/full privatization of the telecommunicationoperator, and the increase in the number of private ISPs and cell phoneoperators.Other practical steps taken that demonstrate government andpolitical will andcommitment to ICT include the exemption of tax on personalcomputers and this hasserved as a very good incentive for ICT purchase and use.

3.2 ICT Policies and Strategies

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For the successful integration of ICT in Education, it isacknowledged17 that governmentshould create the necessary guiding frameworks (polices andstrategies) both at thenational and sectoral (education) levels. The ICT in Education policy

should be linked tothe national ICT policy and vice-verse. In turn, national ICT policiesshould be rooted inthe countries overall development plan.This is certainly true for Tanzania where the potential and use of ICTfor developmentmore broadly and specifically for education is envisioned both withinnational andsectoral policies and strategies. The guiding policies and strategies inTanzaniaunderscore the role that ICT can play in the wider ICT in developmentarena and ICT ineducation specifically. It is noted in Vision 2025 that opportunitiesposed by ICT can beharnessed to meet the goals of the Vision, the NSGRP notes thatefficient communicationtools through ICTs will empower Tanzanians to make better decisionsresulting in betterlife and less poverty, the National ICT Policy of 2003 recognizes thatICT can enhanceand improve on education opportunities and advocates for the

introduction of an eeducationsystem, the ESDP recognizes the role of computer studies in fosteringtechnological and scientific developments, with the education sectorreview reiteratingthe need to expand the use of ICT to improve on the quality ofeducation.

3.1 National InfrastructureThe Tanzanian telecom sector has two fixed-line operators TTCL andZANTEL and sixoperational mobile networks of which Vodacom, Zain, Tigo and Zantelare the fourdominating networks. The recent introduction of the 3G wirelessbroadband service hasgreatly boosted Internet usage. Although indicators show rapidgrowth in the TanzanianICT infrastructure, communication facilities are available mainly in theurban areasleaving the rural areas where the majority of Tanzanians live beingunderserved.17 http://www.idrc.ca/fr/ev-140839-201-1-DO_TOPIC.htmlPage 22 of67

3.2 ICT infrastructure

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According to figures provided ITU in 201018, there were 676,000Internet users.Tanzania accounts for 5% of the mobile phone users in Africa and isranked 4th afterNigeria, South Africa and Kenya. According to figures in 2009 from

the TanzaniaCommunication Regulatory Authority, (TCRA), there were 179,849land lines and 14.7million mobiles in use19. The domestic fixed-line telephone network isless than 1connection per 100 persons while the mobile-cellular service, aidedby multipleproviders, is increasing. Like most of the African countries, Tanzaniahas recordedexponential growth in mobile phones as depicted in the figure below.The growth infixed lines has been minimal in comparison. Although other sectors(for examplebanking) are taking advantage of this wide coverage of mobiletelephony, education hasnot yet tapped into this technology to deliver services to the ruralcommunities who haveremained underserved owing to the challenges of cost, electricity andconnectivity.Figure 1 - Growth in mobile subscriptions (2000-2009)

Source: Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority:http://www.tcra.go.tz/publications/telecom.html

It is reported in a study on the imperatives and limitations of ICT inTanzania20 (2008),that there is a low level of internet penetration and patterns of use.This is irrespective ofthe governments policy priority in e-education which views computertechnology ashaving the potential to bring the overall qualitative improvement ineducation and to helpovercome the resource-related issues currently faced by educationalinstitutions.

However, the rapid development of the telecommunications marketmeans that the cost ofowning and using digital equipment continues to decrease makingICT increasinglyaccessible to the average Tanzanian. It is hoped that the ICTlandscape will changedramatically with the recent landing of the submarine cables on theEast African Coast.18 http://www.internetworldstats.com/africa.htm#tz19 http://www.tcra.go.tz/publications/telecom.html20 http://www.cet.uct.ac.za/files/file/tanzania.pdf

Page 23 of67Table 3- Infrastructural Statistics

Year 2008 2009

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Number of Voice Mobile Operators 6 6Fixed line providers 2 2Number of ISP/Data Operators 60 62Number of Fixed Network Subscriptions 123,809 179,849Number of Mobile Network Subscriptions 13,006,793 14,723,175

Teledensity (Penetrations) 32% 36%Source: Tanzania Communication Regulatory Authority:http://www.tcra.go.tz/publications/telecom.html

3.3 ElectricityAccording to statistics in 2006, only 10% of the total population wasconnected to thenational power grid with 1% of these being in the rural areas.Tanzanias national energypolicy recognizes the importance and contribution of indigenousenergy sources inproviding modern energy sources in rural areas.Although the main goal of the national energy policy has been toimprove the welfare andliving standards of Tanzanians, it was noted during this study that theconsistencybetween energy policy and plans relating to national economicplanning in activitiesrelated to agriculture, health, education, water and ICT sectors isweak. The energyneeds in the sectoral ministries are not synchronized and prioritizedas catalysts of

economic development. According to reports, this results in theplanning and budgetingfor energy needs taking second place and at times being in thecategory of miscellaneousissues.

3.4 Connectivity and the National Fibre Optic CableNetworkThe cost of connectivity is very high in Tanzania which createsbarriers to the spread anduse of the internet which is a major vehicle for the transfer of data

and access toinformation. Many higher education institutions use VSAT for highbandwidth internet.The Tanzania Education Research Network (TERNET) was launched in2002 to providean electronic network for connecting all higher education institutionsin the country, aswell as research institutes and teacher colleges. Details on itsachievements were notavailable but indications are that most of the activities are at theplanning stage.

TERNET does not have any dedicated funding and most of itsactivities are carried out

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on a volunteer basis with the staff working part time. Consequently ithas not yetembarked on its mission of connecting education institutions.It is projected that the fibre optic technology would lowertelecommunication costs by

95%. According to interviews with personnel from the Ministry ofScience andTechnology, the national fibre optic cable will have an overall lengthof 10,000km with atarget of the 126 districts in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar byNovember 2009. At thetime of writing this report the cable had already docked in theUniversity of Dar-Es-Salaam (UDSM) from South Africa with the support of the Chinesegovernment.Page 24 of67

4 STATE OF ICT IN THE EDUCATION ANDTRAININGSECTORInformation and Communication Technology (ICT) is becoming moreand moreintegrated in society, and opening new opportunities for people on adaily basis.Applying ICT to empower education, and learning about ICTs inschools, are considered

to be a necessity in order to overcome the challenges facing theeducation sector.This section reviews the state of ICTs in the education and trainingsector. The reviewlooks at a number of components that form an end-to-end system.International bestpractice21 shows that the end-to-end model which addresses the keycomponents of policyand planning, infrastructure and deployment, curriculum and content,training and usage,maintenance and support and monitoring and evaluation provides for

a comprehensiveapproach and an enabling environment for ICT integration.

4.1 ICT in Education Policies and strategiesRecognizing the potential of ICT as a significant tool for improvingeducation delivery,outcomes and impact, the MoEVT embarked on the development ofan ICT Policy forEducation in 2006. A multi-stakeholder process for the provision ofpolicy advice to theMoEVT on ICT resulted in an ICT guideline (also referred to as White

Paper) called

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Thinking through the use of ICT in Secondary Education in Tanzania -Deliberations ofa multi stakeholder work group on education which was submitted tothe MoEVT in2006. It provided input to the national ICT policy for education, the

ICT Policy for BasicEducation launched in 2007 which covers basic education which isinclusive of preprimary,primary, secondary and teacher education as well as non-formal andadulteducation and university education. The policy document wasdeveloped to guide theintegration of ICT in basic education.22The policy addresses issuesrelated to the end-toendsystem viz. infrastructure, curriculum and content, training andcapacity building,management and support and monitoring and evaluation. The policyprovides for avariety of technologies, including radio, mobile telephony, computers,and the internet.According to The National Report of the United Republic of Tanzaniaon theDevelopment of Education (2008)23 the MoEVT, through the ICT Policyaims toempower learners, teachers, education managers and leaders to useICT judiciously and

effectively for expanding learning opportunities and ensuringeducational quality andrelevance (p. 9). The policy also emphasizes partnerships andstakeholder participation

21 http://www.unescobkk.org/education/ict/themes/policy/guidelines/integrating-icts-in-

educationsystems/

; http://www.cea-ace.ca/media/en/Trends_ICT_Integration.pdf ;

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTTURKEY/Resources/361616_1142415001082_educati

on.p

df

22 Hare, Harry (2007). ICT in Education in Tanzania. Survey of ICT and Education inAfrica: Tanzania23 http://www.ibe.unesco.org/National_Reports/ICE_2008/tanzania_NR08.pdfPage 25 of67

as mechanisms to broaden the basis of education financing and tooptimize the use ofeducation resources.Finally, the policy prioritizes teacher education would followed bysecondary and thenprimary education. The implementation would also include adulteducation, vocationalinstitutions and eventually libraries.

Further, both PEDP and SEDP prioritize ICT based informationmanagement at all levels

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and an introduction of computer courses into primary and secondaryeducation.

4.2 ICT in primary and secondary schoolsThere are no statistics on ICT in the primary and secondary schoolsystems.

Consequently it remains unclear how many and what types of ICTmay be in primary andsecondary schools. However, there are plans to have this datacaptured in the near futurethrough the regular EMIS data capture. It has however been reportedthat the number ofprimary and secondary schools with computers and internet access islimited. We mayhave to evaluate this based on the activities in 2010.Moreover, the MOEVTs priority when it comes to deploying ICT is

teacher trainingcolleges followed by secondary schools. While all 34 teacher collegeshave beencomputerized, little progress seems to have been made in thesecondary school sector.ICT deploymentsICT use is more prevalent in urban private schools, while ingovernment schools it ismostly confined to secondary schools where there is limited teachingof basic ICT skillsand no integration into the teaching and learning process. About half

of the governmentregisteredsecondary schools in Tanzania are in rural areas with poorcommunicationinfrastructure.An e-School forum formed in 2005 in its proposal suggested a phasedapproach for ICTin secondary schools, starting with 200 schools in phase 1, followedby a large scale rollout covering 2000 schools in phase 2 in a period of 5 years with atarget of having allschools with ICT in 2015. The criteria for selection of schools includethat they have atleast two ICT trained teachers, have shown strong willingness toparticipate in theprogramme and are reasonably prepared to use ICT. Schools withelectricity from apower grid, will be prioritized. A revised proposal was beingdeveloped at the time ofwriting this report and the details were not yet available.Another planned intervention is through the NoPC pilot project whichtargets the

provision of ICT to 200 secondary schools which are close to TCs toimprove the

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teaching of Maths, Science and English. According to NoPC (UK), TheNoPC solutiontransforms traditional computing, taking thin to a whole new level,greatly reducing theneed for maintenance, support and upgrades. This solution is an

energy and cost-efficientPC substitution, eliminating high failure components, requiring littlebandwidth and usingunder 100 watts for five workstations. With 3,500 secondary schoolsin Tanzania, NoPCPage 26 of67

hopes to install computer systems in all of them providing Internet forover1.2 millionchildren to improve their academic experience.According to Tilya (2007)24 some parents from state-owned secondaryschools in which

the government could not install ICT equipment showed keen interestin and support tothe acquisition of ICT facilities for the schools even if they had tofinance it bycontributing to the acquisition of the ICT facilities and the tuition fees.ConnectivityAs far as could be ascertained, connectivity is generally limited to afew schools.Connectivity is largely dependent on national electricityinfrastructure. As discussed in

section 3.4 the telecommunications infrastructure in the country isimproving rapidly.Apart from the national fibre backbones that are under development,3G cellular servicesare gaining popularity with increased affordability. It is hoped that thelanding of thesubmarine fibre in the UDSM will greatly improve and lower the costsof connectivity.ElectricityPractical implementation of the ICT in education initiatives has beennoted to be more

complex than it was earlier anticipated due to rural connectivitychallenges. More thanhalf of the government-registered secondary schools in Tanzania arein rural areas withfeeble communication infrastructure25.Maintenance and Technical SupportFor schools with ICTs, maintenance and technical support is mainlycarried out teachersand/or ICT technician in the school either full time or part time. In thecurrent planningfor ICT deployment under the e-schools programme, there areconsiderations to use the

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shared-school model whereby a number of schools will be clusteredto use the same ICTfacilities.ICT curriculum, content and trainingDespite this low availability of ICT infrastructure in the basic

education system, acurriculum for primary and pre-primary education, Teknologia yaHabari naMawasiliano (TEHAMA) is already in place. Information gatheredduring theSituational Analysis indicates that, ICT as a subject based on thiscurriculum is taught inonly a few schools which are located near district headquarters andurban centres whereinfrastructural facilities are available.A secondary school ICT syllabus for Form I IV exists, but it has notbeen implementedin many schools owing to a lack of ICT facilities and trained ICTteachers. The TanzaniaComputer Literacy for Secondary schools Trust Fund (TCLSS) procurescomputers forsecondary schools and helps them to set up computer laboratories.The project also24Tilya, F. (2007). ICT in Education in Tanzania: Lessons and Experiences from IICD-Supported Projects.UDSM.25 http://www.iconnect-

online.org/Documents/TanzaniaRuralAccessICT4DiConnectEng.pdfPage 27 of67

teaches computer literacy and computer maintenance to studentsand teachers in schools.The project operates in about 20 schools within Dar Es Salaam andoutside. Others alsoprovide support such as the Best Education Trust Fund, the TanzaniaEducation ServicesTrust and the Distance Learning Educational Services which provideon-line study notesand past examination papers.

In 2007 the MoEVT and the International Youth Foundation (IYF)launched Bridge -itTanzania in close partnership with the Forum for African WomenEducationalists(FAWE), Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks, Pearson Foundation andVodacomFoundation. Bridge-its goal is to significantly increase the quality ofteacher instructionand achievement among primary school students in standards 5 and6 in math, science

and life skills through the innovative use of cell phone and digitaltechnology. The

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programme operates in 150 schools, has reached 20,619 students,trained 1,204 teachers,and developed and distributed 96 videos and 102 learner-centredlesson plans to eachschool in 2009.26

4.3 ICT and teacher training4.3.1 ICT deployment in Teacher CollegesICT deployment in Tanzania was prioritized to start in the TeachersColleges (TCs)followed by secondary schools and then primary schools. Theimplementation of ICTs inTCs was started in 2005 as a joint venture between MoEVT and theSwedishInternational Development Agency (Sida). The projects main goalwas to improve on

the quality of pre-service and in-service teacher education by usingICT.In the first phase of the deployment of ICT in TCs, all 34governmental colleges received30 thin client computers and a server including peripherals andaccessories, ICT trainingfor education administrators, all tutors were trained in the use of ICTfor teaching andlearning which according to interviews translated to basic literacyskills. 2-4 tutors ineach college were certified in CISCO IT essentials. A commercial ISP

supplies therequired bandwidth to all the colleges on contract basis. Tutorsindividually prepare econtentmaterials to enhance teaching. The funding for the teachers collegesis currentlyfrom the government through the recurrent budget allocation. 30 ofthese colleges areconnected to the national electrical grid and 4 of the colleges usegenerators and solarpanels.The project was completed in 2008 and has since become aprogramme of the MoEVT.A five member team was formed to oversee the project after thecompletion of the projectand withdrawal of Sida support.The table below outlines the ICT related activities and outputs underthe Sida-MoEVTproject.26 IYF. Elimu kwa TeknolojiaPage 28 of67Table 4 - Activities vs. Outputs of the MoEVT/Sida project

Activities Outputs_ Procurement and installation ofhardware and software in all TCs

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_ All tutors to be trained in ICT basicliteracy skills leading to ICDLcertification_ One tutor in each college to betrained in computer installation,

maintenance and repair services_ Training in ICT for administrationfor principals, management andadministrative staff_ Curriculum to be developed andused for ICT in Teacher Education_ Installation of 1,250 networked thinclient computers in 34 collegesusing open source_ Personal computers using MSsoftware installed in seven zonalcollege laboratories for Ciscocourse_ Internet connectivity using VSATinstalled in all 34Colleges_ Training of 80 tutor technicians_ Tutors with ICDL training in ICTintegration skills have been trainedin management skills and technicalskills_ ICT in Teacher Education

curriculum completed and currentlyis in use.4.3.2 Using ICT for teacher educationDespite the governments efforts to address the teacher shortagechallenge, teacherdemand remains high as opposed to supply. This calls for a need toexplore alternativeinterventions. The MoEVT has embarked on an initiative to addressthe teacher shortagechallenge whereby the existing ICT infrastructure in Teacher Collegescould be used to

increase pre- and in-service training capacity.Sida and the MoEVT approached GeSCI in September 2009 tofacilitate the developmentof an ICT TPD Framework which would serve as a roadmap tointegrate ICT into theteacher education system using the existing ICT infrastructure at TCs.This resulted inAFramework for ICT Use in Teacher Professional Development inTanzania (2009).There are also other initiatives to use ICT for teacher training. For

example, an ICT-based

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in-service teacher education project for secondary school teachersproviding training onpedagogy and subject specialized education was developed by theMid SwedenUniversity (MiUn) which has a vast experience of distance education,

flexible learningand teacher training and the MoEVT. The project is also supported bythe OpenUniversity of Tanzania (OUT) and the University of Dar Es Salaam(UDSM). The overallpurpose of the project is to enhance the performance of thesecondary teachers byproviding training on pedagogy and subject specialized education.The teachers will betrained through ICT-based short courses which will be tailored to theneeds of teachers inparticular subject areas. It was also reported that plans are at anadvanced stage to startoffering a certificate course in ICT enhanced pedagogy in AgakhanUniversity toPage 29 of67

practicing teachers at all levels of school. Action research on the useof affordabletechnologies to support teaching and learning is going on in the sameuniversity.

4.4 ICT in Vocational Education

VETA owns 22 vocational training centres and coordinates 889 othercentres throughoutthe country. The other centres are owned by non-governmentalorganizations,government agencies and individuals. It was reported that 15 of the22 VETA centresand 190 non-VETA centres conduct computer courses. These coursesrange from basicICT literacy to technical maintenance and support and networkadministration.According to information obtained during interviews, plans to build an

ICT centre ofexcellence by VETA in Dar Es Salaam are underway.

4.5 ICT in Higher EducationSimilar to the basic education sector, the higher education sector isalso challenged byissues of access, quality and relevance for which ICT could play animportant role. ICT isalso critical for research at this level. The higher education sector inTanzania has takenand continues to take concrete steps to use ICT to address the main

challenges that the

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sector faces. The sector is making investments in ICT, for example, ithas been reportedin a status report for higher education institutions in Tanzania (2008),that mostuniversities have dedicated computer centres. Education and

research networkingactivities are also beginning to take off and e-learning as a strategyto increase access isbecoming central to many of the higher education institutions.4.5.1 Education and Research NetworkingTanzania Education and Research Network (TERNET) is the NationalEducation andResearch Network (NREN) for Tanzania. The Tanzania EducationNetworks (TERNET)vision is to provide an electronic network that will connect all HigherEducationInstitutions in the country as well as research facilities and teachercolleges. Specifically,TERNET aims at providing network infrastructure that facilitatesEducation ManagementInformation Systems (EMIS), support for e-libraries and electronicinformation access,research databases, and enhancement of e-learning capacity. In2008, 21 institutions weremembers of TERNET which has been seen as strategically importantfor the development

of information resources and collaboration in research anddevelopment of educationalcontent. Most of the initiatives in TERNET are at the nascent stages.Plans to facilitatethese existing efforts and initiate joint programmes that will be set upto make e-learningresources for teachers and students in Higher Education Institutionsare under way.TERNET funding is dependent on volunteered contributions frommember institutionswhich makes it challenging. While VSAT has provided high bandwidth

internet for manyhigher education institutions, e.g. UDSM, Sokoine University ofAgriculture andMuhimbili Medical School,27 it is hoped that TERNET will take fulladvantage of thenational backbone that is currently being laid to realize its mandateand objectives.27 ICTs and Higher Education in Africa: Tanzania Status Report.Page 30 of67

4.5.2 e-Learning in Higher Education InstitutionsFindings indicate that the use of digital e-learning environments hasnot been widely

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adopted in most of the universities with the exception of the OpenUniversity of Tanzaniaand the University of Dar Es Salaam (UDSM). Although a number ofuniversities offergeneral ICT Training for teachers and students, it was reported that it

is only the UDSMthat conducts research into the development of software for teachingand learningpurposes. Despite all the outlined challenges, it is hoped that thecommitment from thegovernment could help address the stated problems.It is worth noting that there is widespread advocacy for open-sourcesoftware inTanzania. The Tanzania Free and Open Source Software Association(TAFOSSA),housed at UCC in UDSM has the objective of raising awareness of andpromoting the useof open-source software. FOSSFA has plans to establish incubationcenters for trainingand grooming of FOSS experts as well as development of FOSSportals and knowledgeware houses throughout the country.

4.5.3 Local content developmentLocal content development has been found to be inadequateparticularly as the need is forKiswahili more than for English content. In his analysis of the

challenges facing ICT4Din Tanzania, Yonazi (2009)28 notes that there has been progress indeveloping localcontent with the government and different sectors attempting todevelop and providecitizen-focused content and services. This content is in the form ofweb portals,improved service delivery through the use of mobile technologythrough seamlessintegration and increased information sharing attitudes in the form ofblogs, online

forums and discussion groups.4.6 ICT and Education Management (EMIS)The Education Management Information System (EMIS) DevelopmentPlan29 aims atdeveloping capacities in the Ministry of Education to make it moreefficient in executingits core functions of policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation,standards setting,providing regulatory frameworks, co-ordination and optimization ofresource use through

improved access to and use of EMIS at all levels of education. EMIS iscurrently being

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used to collect, process and disseminate education data toeducational institutions on atimely basis.28 http://www.ngopulse.org/article/ict4d-facing-challenges-head-tanzania29

http://www.moe.go.tz/documents/EMIS%20DOC/EMIS%20DEV%20PLAN%20(2004-2007)%20with%20ICT%20Revised%20Final%20fresh.docPage 31 of67

At the time of writing this report, it was reported that all regional anddistrict offices hadbeen provided with computers and printers. Training of the regional,district, statisticaland logistics officers was also reported to be complete. Inspectorateoffices at the zonaland district levels had been provided with computers and printers.

The result of all theseefforts was the timely and periodical production, management anddissemination ofeducational data and information to educational stakeholders througha publicationknown as Basic Education Statistics in Tanzania (BEST).

4.7 ICT in Adult EducationThe Institute of Adult Education has always offered its distancecourse through printedmaterials. Plans are underway to offer online courses to learnersthrough distanceeducation through its regional centres across the country.

4.8 ICT in Registration and Assessment ofExaminationsInterviews with officers from NECTA revealed that the processing ofexaminations bythe National Examinations Council of Tanzania using ICT has beengoing on since 1998.This process has undergone various changes over time with thecouncil currentlyadopting interactive web portals for distribution of examination

results, and the provisionof application forms and information in the form of CD ROMs. Effortsare underway todevelop an ICT infrastructure supported by the fiber optic backbonewhich is being laiddown nationally in the country to support transmission of data andvoice which will beused to facilitate the implementation of an Examination ManagementSystem based onrelational databases.

4.9 Challenges in the implementation of ICT in theEducation

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and Training SectorFrom a wider perspective of ICT4D four categories of issues havebeen identified asimpediments to the uptake of ICT in Tanzania:Inadequate connectivity: It has been noted that ICT networks and

other supportinginfrastructures are still inadequate, unreliable and have not covered awide area. This isaggravated by the lack of electricity and broadband connections.Rural areas in particularare underserved.Content Availability: Even with the increased provision of ICTenabled services, thequality and quantity of available electronic content is yet to meetuser expectations. An

example in this area was cited as infrequently updated sites andobsolescent links ongovernment websites which is not motivating, resulting in users notconsultinggovernment websites as their first choice for information. It was alsonoted that most ofthe websites are written in English while most ordinary Tanzaniansspeak Kiswahili.This results in content not being perceived as local.Page 32 of67

Organizational Challenges: Issues related to organizational

capacity were pointed out aslack of leadership, organizational inertia, inadequate planning andunsupportiveprocesses. An example that was cited was the National ICT policywhich althoughproduced in 2003, has remained a legal document with minimalinterpretation andimplementation. Although the MoEVT has developed its own sectoralpolicy andstrategy, it was reported that there had been no implementation planat the time of writing

this report.People-related issues: Unsupportive mindsets was cited as a majorhindrance to theuptake of ICT. This is worsened by the fact that it is more pronouncedamong the oldergeneration who are the decision makers. This kind of thinking goesback to the 1970swhen the government had banned the importation and use of ICT ingeneral with the longterm effect being that some decision makers lack the power to

conceptualize and exploit

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the potential of ICT in development in general. This culminates in alack of prioritization,inadequate support, and advocacy for the use of ICT. ICT is stillregarded as luxuryitems rather than developmental tools. Consequently ICT initiatives

have been reportedto face some difficult bureaucratic procedures.Further, a lack of e-government strategy has resulted in a lack ofcoordination ofinitiatives that are related to the application of ICT in the publicsector. However thePublic Sector Reform Programme (PSRP) and the Local GovernmentReform Programme(LGRP) have provided impetus for the implementation of ICT in thedelivery ofgovernment services. Most government ministries have establishedwebsites with thegovernment spearheading this with the TOVUTI ya Wananchithrough which citizenscan channel complaints and receive feedback from government. Thee-governmentstrategy to provide coordination of all ICT4D activities was underdevelopment at thetime of writing this report.More specifically the challenges cited in the implementation of thesaid ICT policy for

basic education include:_ Insufficient prioritization of ICT in the implementation of educationalanddevelopment policies_ Inadequate experience in sharing, collaboration and partnership inICTimpleme