Is it a Priority?Prof. E. P. Bhalalusesa University of Dar

YOUTH AND ADULT
LITERACY IN TANZANIA: IS
IT A PRIORITY?
Presenter: Prof. E. P. Bhalalusesa
University of Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania

Outline of the presentation
‣Definition of key terms: literacy,
youth, and adult
‣The current status of literacy worldwide
‣The status in Tanzania: a priority or
not a priority and why?
‣Conclusion and recommendations

Definitions: Literacy
‣No standard definition: There is no
literacy acceptable all the time, for all
people, and for all places.
‣Most writers on the subject tend to
talk of literacies rather than one state
of being literate

Definition:
For example one way would be to define it
as ability to read and write: But read and
write what? In what language? For what
purpose?
In Tanzania it would mean ability to
communicate through reading and writing
all that can be communicated through
speech in Kiswahili
But this leaves too many questions
unanswered for it to be universally
accepted

Definition: Literacy
And would not cover the person who wants to
learn another language to become literate say
English (consider places with lots of tourists like
Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Arusha)
UNESCO defines a literate person as one who
can with understanding both read and write a
short statement on his everyday life
In all understandings, literacy embodies reading
and writing skills. Numeracy is generally
understood as a supplement to or component of
literacy

Definition of literacy cont.
In the Tanzanian Context a person is literate if :
‣ Can read and write and do simple arithmetic
(3Rs)
‣ Level equivalent to grade IV
‣ Ability to use the 3Rs skills in daily life
‣ Ability to continue learning
‣ Communicate using the written word
(URT 2000 EFA Assessment)

What do we mean by Youth?
‣Youths
‣Out of school children (young people) who
for multiple reasons did not have access to
schooling at what is considered the normal
age (aged 14 years and can never do so in
normal classes OR
‣Dropped out of school before acquiring
basic literacy skills.

Definition: Who is an adult person?
‣Any grown up person who accepts social
responsibilities in society. Is independent
‣Adult literacy includes all those grown up
persons who had not had a chance before
to access schooling OR they accessed
schooling up to certain level but dropped
before mastery of basic literacy skills

What do statistics say about
literacy?
‣The World Conference on Education for
All, convened by Executive heads of
UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP and World Bank
in Thailand, 1990 noted with concern that
the right to education has remained an
empty promise for millions of children and
adults.
‣Nearly one thousand million adults, two
thirds of them women, were unable to
read and write

What do statistics say about literacy?
‣ In April 2000 participants from 164 countries met
in Dakar, Senegal, to re-affirm the vision of the
World Declaration on Education For All –EFA
‣ They observed that although there has been
significant progress in many countries, it was still
unbelievable that by 2000, more than 113 million
children had no access to primary education, 880
million adults were illiterate, gender
discrimination continued, youth and adults were
denied access to the skills and knowledge
necessary for gainful employment etc.

What do statistics say about
literacy?
‣ They collectively once again committed
to the attainment of six goals:
‣ Goal No. 4: Achieving a 50 percent
improvement in levels of adult literacy by
2015, especially for women, and
equitable access to appropriate learning
and life skills programme

What do statistics say about
literacy?
‣According to EFA Global Monitoring Report
(2007), there are 774 million adults worldwide–
‣Nearly 1 in 5 lack basic literacy skills.
‣Women’s literacy account for 64% of adults
who are not literate worldwide.
‣On current trends 72 out of 101 countries for
which projections were calculated will not
succeed in halving adult illiteracy by 2015.
‣Tanzania is one of the countries at serious risk

What do statistics say about
literacy in Tanzania?
The trend in illiteracy since independence to date
1961 1975 1977 1981 1983 1986 1992 2000
85% 37% 27% 20% 15% 10% 15% 32%
‣Presently the literacy rate is estimated to be
69.4%

What do statistics say about
literacy in Tanzania?
‣ In 2000 a national report assessing challenges
and achievements of Education For All (EFA) in
Tanzania pointed out that although Tanzania
has a strong commitment to ensuring the
realization of EFA goals, the progress has been
much slower than anticipated.
‣ It noted with concern that the literacy rate,
which reached almost 90% in 1986, has
dropped to 84% in 1992 and has been
dropping at the rate of 2% annually.

NOTE:
‣Statistics on the levels of literacy are
largely estimates. Different countries
collect statistics in different ways.
‣In Tanzania this is a major challenge
‣Accurate, reliable and timely information on
adult education at all levels is missing
‣The task of collecting, processing and
keeping statistical data and information is
not an easy undertaking. EMIS not yet in
place.

IS YOUTH AND ADULT LITERACY A
PRIORITY?
No one doubts the key role of literacy
‣ In realizing the vision of Education for All
‣ In contribution to quality life, to school
achievement of children through parental
education, to increase productivity and food
production, to delivery of universal health care
etc.
‣ As essential to the reduction of poverty, to
economic development, and democracy
‣ As crucial to the acquisition of essential life skills
that enable us to address the challenges we can
face in life and represents an essential step in
basic education.

YOUTH AND ADULT LITERACY: WHY SHOULD IT
BE A PRIORITY?
Some effects of literacy in a more specific
way:
‣Education: Helping children with schooling
and able to continue learning, accessing
written information and knowledge e.g.
from newspapers, books etc.
‣Credit: Keeping records, signing contracts,
filling in bank forms
‣Health: reading prescriptions, documenting
health problems, keeping health charts and
vaccination records,

YOUTH AND ADULT LITERACY: WHY
SHOULD IT BE A PRIORITY?
‣ Law: Reading about rights, signing contracts,
recording land rights
‣ Politics: More reasoned exercise of political and
civil liberties like the right to vote and engage in
political activity
‣ Employment: Getting a job, signing documents
‣ Personal: Gaining confidence and personal
empowerment (individual dignity and selfrespect).

YOUTH AND ADULT LITERACY: IS IT A PRIORITY
IN TANZANIA? :
In principle YES:
‣ Education and Training Policy (ETP), 1995 which
guides the provision of education in Tanzania
Mainland puts major thrust in producing a literate
society in which all people can read and write and
thus contribute to personal, social and economic
development.
‣ MKUKUTA is anchored on the premise that
sustainable development will only take place if
there is an increased and improved levels of
education. Lack of basic education undermines all
efforts to improve health and nutrition, and
impedes efforts to address the cause of diseases
such as HIV/AIDS.

Is a priority in Tanzania?
‣ MKUKUTA targets to achieve at least 80% of
adults, especially women in rural areas are literate
by 2015. This entails that, strategies have to be
put in place to reduce the current illiteracy rate by
half by 2015.
‣ The Tanzania Development Vision 2025 aims at a
high quality livelihood for all Tanzanians through
the realization among others, universal primary
education and eradication of illiteracy.
‣ Tanzania has also signed and ratified international
statements and commitments that recognize the
right to adult basic education and literacy in
particular

Is a priority in Tanzania?
In Practice: No straight answer.
Consider the following phases:
‣Post independence era
‣Recession Period (Mid 1980s-1990s)
‣Regeneration (2008 +)

Post independence Era
‣ Immediately after independence in 1961, the
government felt that leaving adult illiteracy
untouched would be unwise, it would delay the
country's development for generations.
‣ The First President Mwalimu Nyerere believed
that the country's development depended
entirely on the work done by literate men and
women
‣ He declared, I quote: “First, we must educate
the adults; the adults have an immediate
impact to the development of this
country’s economy” (URT 1964)

Post independence Era
‣For Mwalimu adult education and (functional)
literacy in particular was conceived as having
a liberating function
‣A tool to arouse popular consciousness for
change and providing a framework through
which these poverty, technological
backwardness, ignorance, hunger, disease,
economic dependence as well as exploitation
constraints which could be transformed.

Post independence Era
‣ As a result, adult literacy was pronounced in
policy documents and translated into concrete
actions
‣ adult literacy received considerable support
form the ruling party and government
leadership.
‣ The leadership took part in adult education
activities
‣ Directives were issued to eradicate illiteracy.
1970 was declared Adult Education Year
‣ Tanzania launched a comprehensive national
literacy campaign to reduce illiteracy among the
adult population

Post independence Era
‣ Facilities and resources were mobilized and
provided
‣ The ideological basis for the adult literacy
programme was, certainly, highly sensible.
‣ Tanzania, in the 1980’s was the first country in
the eastern Africa Region to record the
achievement of 90 percent of adult literacy.
‣ However, this marked also the beginning of a
different picture

Recession (mid 1980s-1990s)
‣ The impact of the structural adjustment
programme in Tanzania by that time shifted
attention away from political to economic
endeavours.
‣ Consequently, the country’s development
strategy, which had focused on growth and
equity, was abandoned in favour of planned
development strategy that focused more on
growth and efficiency
‣ This reduced tremendous national commitment
to achieving social equity through education.
‣ Adult education, including adult literacy, was no
longer central to development initiatives

Recession (mid 1980s-)
‣Studies conducted in the 1990s found for
example that majority of adult basic education
classes were no longer functioning, instead they
were characterized by high dropout and low
retention rate.
‣In 1997/98 at the ministerial level, adult
education that used to form an independent
department with its own budget was reduced
into a unit within the office of the Commissioner
for Education.

Developments since 2001
‣ 2002+ PEDP: The need to provide primary
education for all
‣ The need also to focus on over-aged children and
those out-of-school
‣ Served as survival strategy for adult education
practitioners
‣ In 2001/2002 a Status Report on Non-Formal
Education was compiled. The report still showed
a gloomy picture. The programme was in poor
shape
‣ Based on the conclusions and recommendations
of the Status Report, a medium term strategy for
adult and non-formal education, and
corresponding implementation plan for the period
2003/4-2007/8 was developed.

Developments since 2001
‣The major focus was on expanding COBET
and ICBAE (Integrated Community Based
Adult Education Programme)
‣ICBAE does not necessarily address youth
and adult literacy although is part of it
‣Funds to support the programmes
continued to be problematic as the Unit
did not had its own sub-vote

What is the current status?
Renewed priority?
‣ Presently, there are good signs: the Unit
has been reinstated to its original status of
being a fully fledged Department
‣There is shift of emphasis on the political
will
‣Hopefully, this will be translated into
concrete plans and actions on the ground

What is the current status?
Renewed priority?
However, there are pertinent issues
before one can really say YES or NO
‣How is the budget allocation as compared
to other education sub-sectors?
‣What about availability of facilities? Do we
have a suitable literate environment to
ensure that those who have already
acquired literacy skills do not relapse into
illiteracy?

What is the current status?
Renewed priority?
‣ To what extent are we ready to change our
mind-set and accord adult education equal
status like any other education sub-sector? For
example ensure that programmes are handled
by competent and well trained, well paid
facilitators
‣ For us practitioners: How are prepared to play
an activist part and advocate for literacy? How
are we prepared to tell the truth especially on
the state of youth and adult literacy in the
country?
‣ How should we team up to make youth and
adult literacy on top of the agenda?

A way Forward
‣Sustained strong Political will
‣A fundamental change in education and
training policies: Youth and Adult Literacy
should be seen as basic human right
‣Create literacy environments- revive rural
libraries. For example: As we write books
for the formal ed. system what about the
adult education sub-sector?

A way Forward
‣ Establish reliable data base of youth and adult
literacy. Therefore a need for a literacy survey
‣ Recognition of the place of research in informing
practice
‣ Develop shared commitment and a culture of
working together towards a common goal
‣ Build partnership and linkages. Recognition of
the work done by different partners especially
NGOs
‣ Document and learn from realistic successful
experiences

A way Forward
‣Finally, Blessed be those who organized
this debate and make youth and adult
literacy heard.
‣Also thank you all for your attention and
welcome for more ideas to strengthen
youth and adult literacy in Tanzania.