The Girl-Child and Government Service Provision.pdf - Tanzania ...

EducationA deputy principal of a primary school with 1,632 students,including 819 girls, stated that the main causes ofchildren dropping out was relocation, long travel distanceto school and livelihood issues. Since 2000, 167 children,including 74 girls, dropped out of school. He recommendeda non-formal transition programme to assist childrento re-enter school. Regarding barriers, he notes thatparents “need to be encouraged and need to supporttheir daughters to attend school.” While he has manyideas for approaches which could make school more relevantand appealing to families, the government does notprovide the resources, and he has few qualified personnelto assist him.A primary-school teacher in Location A has a class of 46children, which includes 20 girls. More girls than boys dropout because of poor living conditions, housework, andhealth problems. Incentives are needed from the governmentor others to keep girls, especially those with strongpotential or performance, in school. He also recommendedstronger links between school and vocational training. Lackof resources to offer incentives or support was identifiedas a barrier.Child protectionA director of the Ministry of Women’s Affairs has beenworking since early 2003 on an anti-child-trafficking initiativethat has had some success in rescuing children (sevengirls, 10–12 years old) who had been hired to do farm workbut were trafficked into the sex industry instead. The workis funded by the international community and implementedthrough the government. She observed that boys and girlsattend school initially at the same rate, but then girls dropout due to poor living standards and poor parental attitudes.She believes that further work is needed to gain supportfrom families on access to education for girls. Increasedservices, vocational training, children’s clubs,health-care centres, schools and libraries are needed. Barriersare lack of funds and experienced staff.The deputy chief of social affairs shared statistics showingthat the office had assisted in four cases of rape against girlsthis year. They also have records of 145 injured or disabledchildren, of whom 98 are girls. The injuries or disabilitieswere the result of land mines and polio. While he did notsay how many were the result of each, polio has beensignificantly reduced as part of an extensive WHO campaign.Girls are also more likely to gather firewood or collectwater. Improved living standards, he stated, would makeit easier for children to attend school. Although healthcare is free, he suggested that the government use strategiessuch as providing uniforms and materials to girl childrento assist their involvement. The biggest barrier hefaces is that the government does not respond to his fundingallocation requests.Location BHealthThe commune’s health-centre director stated that there isno difference between male and female children in accessingservices, with the most common diseases being pneumoniaand diarrhoea. He acknowledged that the cost ofconsultation and treatment is a barrier to all children andrecommended free treatment as the most important stepin promoting access for girls.EducationA barrier identified by a primary-school principal of 847children, including 423 girls, is the need for some childrento work on rice production and housework. Meetings areorganised on the monthly base with parents to discusseducation and to gain support from parents in order toallow children to exercise this basic right. Targeted incentivescan assist in overcoming barriers such as transportationof school materials and child-to-child support.These need to come from NGO sources, he says, not thegovernment, because the government has no resourcesfor this.A colleague from a different primary school observed thatgirls were dropping out of school because poor living standardsrequire children to do housework and because oflack of interest by parents. Incentives to families of girl children,such as school vegetable gardens, good standards ofhygiene and children’s clubs, would assist in gaining furthersupport from parents for girls to attend. Gaining resourcesfrom government to develop such approaches was seen asa barrier. Lack of awareness of equal access is also a barrier.Women, especially, have to know that men and womenhave an equal right to education. Incentives are needed topromote girls’ continued involvement in school.20 The Girl-Child and Government Service Provision