Schools to seek Samia's intervention on boarding ban

Dar as Salaam. The Tanzania Association of Managers and Owners of Non-Government Schools and Colleges (Tamangsco) said it was planning to write a letter to President Samia Suluhu Hassan over the recent decision to ban boarding pupils from lower education levels.

The abolishment involved nursery to standard four pupils and the directive took immediate effect on March 1, 2023. Through its Education Circular No. 2 of 2023, the government banned academic camps organised by schools to prepare pupils for national examinations.

“Boarders should be allowed from Standard Five and above. It is prohibited to accept boarders from nursery school and Standard One to Standard Four except under special permission issued by the Commissioner of Education after receiving an application from a stakeholder,” says the document seen by The Citizen. However, in a new twist, Tamangsco said they are planning to write a letter to President Hassan because the decision did not consider billions of shillings school owners have injected into the construction of dormitories. “When someone makes a declaration to ban boarding services, is he or she aware of the source of funds used during the investment?” questioned Mr Alfred Luvanda, Tamangsco chairman.

“The declaration means subjecting school owners to a huge loss. However, there are caregivers who provide services in the dormitories who will ultimately be rendered unemployed following the announcement,” he added.

He said the association will prepare a document outlining the challenges they were facing, therefore threatening the life of service provision.

Tamongsco urgently met yesterday to discuss the Education Circular No. 2 of 2023 and provide their resolutions. However, they said their move didn’t mean they opposed the government’s decision; instead, they were of the view that proper procedures didn’t take their course and that important stakeholders were not involved.