Expansion of Secondary Education in Tanzania: Policy Practices, Trends and Implications to Quality Education

Seminar paper from the year 2012 in the subject Pedagogy - School Pedagogics, grade: none, University of Dodoma, course: Foundations of Education, language: English, abstract: This paper reviews the trends of secondary education expansion in Tanzania. It is argued that various policy stances and approaches to education planning have served as blue prints for expanding this level of education in the country over time. It is further pointed out that; the whole process of expansion goes together with reasonable quality. Each policy stance and approach to planning on expansion of secondary education is observed with its impacts on educational performance in relation to quality. The paper also addresses the issues related to the couple of limitations and challenges of the quality education that calls for more innovations, more strategic planning as well as a strong political will of seeing to it that expansion is both creating more access and effectively empowers those who happen to access this education. The paper suggests the need for an increased number of studies that should shape policies aimed at making education inclusive, responding to the diverse needs and circumstances of learners and giving appropriate weight to the abilities, skills, and knowledge they bring to the teaching learning process. It further, recommends the effective and strategic engagement of various actors of education in decision making whenever new reforms and policies come in education system. Finally, the paper reminds politicians to take into account what the general public may wish to incorporate in the policy and plans so as to attain the intended education goals.