CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF EDUCATION AT THE GR(25)

3.8 Trends in the development of primary education in Tanzania
The Primary Education Sub-sector sector in Tanzania has undergone significant developments from 1961 when the then Tanganyika got her independence, all geared towards empowering the citizens. The trends can be traced along three major socio-economic development periods which the country has gone through namely, the period before Arusha Declaration(1961-1967); the Arusha Declaration era (1967-1986) and the period after Arusha Declaration /liberalization era (from 1986 to date).

3.8.1 The period before Arusha Declaration (1961-1967)
Right after independence in 1961, the main concern of Tanzania mainland (the then Tanganyika) was to create an environment for socio-economic development. During the first Development Plan, the government identified ignorance as one of the major three hindrances of social and economic development in the country– others included disease and poverty (Nyerere, 1967). The then new government was determined to eradicate ignorance through investment in human capital, which with time would produce a healthy and well-educated population that is crucially needed for social and economic development. Towards this endeavour, Tanzania has undertaken a number of policy and development initiatives in the education sector with a focus to improve quality and access to school education.  Investing on human capital was considered the main tenet towards creating a healthy and well educated population for social and economic development (Kamuzora, 2002).  The new government enacted the Education Act of 1962 that repealed the colonial legislation (the Education Ordinance) that was in force since 1927 (Mamdani, 1996; United Republic of Tanzania, 1995). As a means to ownership by the local communities, the newThe Assignment is provided by UK Assignment http://www.szdhsjt.com  legislation intended to make Local Authorities and communities responsible for the construction of primary schools; provision of primary education; streamlined the curriculum; examination and financing of education (United Republic of Tanzania, 1995).
 
3.8.2 The Arusha Declaration era (1967-1986)
It was during this period various attempts to reform education received a special impetus. Following the Arusha Declaration on 5th February 1967, President Nyerere launched the Education for Self-Reliance (ESR) policy to guide the planning and practice of education as a step towards putting the Arusha Declaration into effect, as  the ESR policy was a programmatic follow-up of the objectives spelt in that Declaration.

ESR policy envisaged embarking on curriculum reform so as to integrate the acquisition of practical life skills. This came up with the philosophy of linking classroom teaching with physical economic activities (self reliance activities) particularly agriculture. It also urged the linkage of education plans and practices with national socio-economic development and the world of work. The principles of Arusha Declaration emphasized on equal access to the scarce economic resources and social services such as primary education.  In order to ensure adherence to these principles ,the government regulated and controlled all the production means such as land and other resources as well as social services such as  education  so that   all Tanzanians regardless of their socio-economic status, ethnic origins, religious beliefs or gender (Galabawa, 2001).  As a back-up to the Arusha declaration and the ESR policy aspirations, the Government of took several steps (Bana and Ngware, 2005). These involved among others,  the enactment of the Education Acts of 1969 and 1978; the launching of decentralization programme of 1972 which in essence led to the abolition of the Local Government in the same year; and the start of  Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme contained in the Musoma Resolution of 1974 (United Republic of Tanzania, 1982).