EDITORIAL: AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHINE, SPOTLIGHT IS ON PRIVATE
The National Examination Council of Tanzania (Necta) yesterday released the Form Six exam results to the merriment of government schools that recorded impressive numbers on a comparative basis.
Having eight out of 10 best performing schools being public institutions is a laudable feat considering the dire situation of government academic arenas in the recent past. This is emblematic of the efforts that have been invested by the government to ensure that schools governed by the State perform just as good, or even better than their privately-owned counterparts. By the looks of things, the government seems to be ticking all the right boxes.
But as we dwell in this joy of seeing government schools occupy top spots on national academic performance chart, a question does come to mind on why private schools, those that are often well-funded and managed are now lagging behind on academic excellence. This is a mystery to some, but when closely scrutinized there are answers at the bottom that pose for great debate.
Needless to say, the government should endeavour to cooperate with private institutions to ensure that Tanzania’s education system is developed even further for the benefit of everyone. A brighter and more prosperous Tanzania awaits if only strategic academic policies are aligned that will ensure both private and public institutions operate under a favourable environment.
Furthermore, the government needs to ensure that an improved education system benefits everyone – the rich, middle-class, and the poor. Impartiality should rule the day when it comes to access to education. Family in rural Tanzania and those dwelling in the cities need to have good options when it comes to selecting which school to send their children.
From the just-released form six examination results, it is evident that today Tanzania enjoys a more balanced scale on academic performance in the geographical contrast. We’ve seen schools in regions other than Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mwanza, or Mbeya occupy top spots in academic performance. This is a promising balance indicative of considerate and deliberate efforts to even out the academic playing field.
Clear out obstacles
As the nation continues to elevate the trajectory on academic output, government must ensure that the noticeable hurdles, such as bureaucratic tendencies that threaten the growth of private academic institutions are cleared out and a more progressive space is created for the betterment of the education field.
The current government under the leadership of President Samia Suluhu Hassan has indicated early on that one of its priorities is to improve the nation’s academic field. As such, both private and public schools need to fuel laid out plans by working together for the common good and benefit of students.
The expansiveness of Tanzania’s academia is enticing to both local and foreign investors, this is all due to government’s willingness to see a more educated populace right from tertiary education all the way to university.
The billions that are being invested each year by the government in student loans need to account for something by benefiting Tanzanians who’ve exhibited great academic prowess. It is from such form six examination results that we are truly able to determine where we stand in academic performance.
