Wetheridge, L; Kapaya, O; Unterhalter, E; Heslop, J; (2012) Transforming education for girls in Tanzania: Endline research summary report. ActionAid

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Abstract

The Transforming Education for Girls project has worked in complex and challenging environments in northern Tanzania where educational and socio-economic conditions vary considerably. The education system and policies are characterised by equitable access and quality goals, to which the project has contributed. Increased girls? enrolment and attendance in TEGINT secondary schools is one such achievement of the project set within a national trend of increased access to secondary schools. Girls? membership of girls? clubs is very positively related to their empowerment and academic performance. The research finds that girls in clubs have significantly higher and more positive aspirations, knowledge, attitudes and behaviour related to education rights, gender and HIV/AIDS than girls not in clubs. In order that clubs do not create siloes of ?advantaged girl groups?, researchers and programmers need to critically consider how girls? become engaged (or excluded) and refine methods for improving knowledge exchange mechanisms and whole-school activities that benefit the whole school community. From the TEGINT experience, we propose that the principles of girls? clubs and their achievements should be widely publicised and replicated. In addition, further research on girls? clubs formation, structure, practices and outcomes would be welcome. Reporting gender-based violence through formal confidential procedures has increased over the last five years. Girls are now highly unlikely to ?tell no one? and adults are likely to report to the school management committee, village chair or police. This behavioural shift away from informal sanctions and punishment to formal avenues for redress is encouraging. However, these are the first steps in a change process; during the project the implementing partner recorded less than a quarter of cases of sexual assault resulting in a conviction. Efforts to eliminate violence against girls in schools require more resources and support. The surprising gaps and complexities in correlations between teacher qualifications and girls? empowerment require further reflection and research. The working conditions of male and female teachers, payment of salaries, training and motivation clearly all affect the quality of teaching and girls? experiences in class. Female teachers have created the spaces for girls? increased empowerment through girls? clubs in their roles as matrons. They have imparted knowledge and skills to girls and encouraged them to aim high and challenge barriers to their schooling. Their capacity and potential as role models to transform education for all should not be under-valued. All aspects of teachers? professional roles and potential must be captured in advocacy for quality education by education organisations and coalitions. Lastly, the research shows that schools continue to charge significant levies to parents for their children?s education, despite primary schooling being nominally free. Over 50% girls, SMC and community members said that parental contributions to schools increased between 2008 and 2012. Training school managers on school development planning, budget tracking and fundraising have a positive effect of not increasing levies. However, the reductions in government grants have contributed significantly to schools? need to raise charges. Girls? number one obstacle to achieving their desired level of education remains poverty. The combination of increasing contributions and perpetual poverty will have devastating effects on girls? achieving their aspirations. The gaps between education policy and the goals of equitable, relevant, quality education for all, and the reality of increasing charges and persistent policy must be addressed through adequate education financing by policy-makers and effective lobbying campaigns that utilize rigorous research.

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