EDITORIAL: Monitor education plan
The introduction of the Education Programme for Results (EP4R) is a step in the right direction by the government in its efforts to create a conducive working environment for public school teachers and other critical players in education.
According to Mr Tixon Nzunda – deputy minister in the President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments) – the target is “to enable pupils to pass exams by 100 per cent”.
The ‘conducive working environment’ here includes mouth-watering remuneration and other employment benefits, including quality housing (pupils’ dormitories, teachers’ accommodations, etc.); suitably-furnished and equipped classrooms, laboratories and libraries, as well as teachers’ promotion strictly based on pupils’ exemplary performance at exams.
If indeed EP4R works as envisaged, then all would be well and good. But, it is an uphill task, calling for meticulous planning and lots of financing, as well as effective supervision to preempt malfeasance and misfeasance when implementing the programme.
Sages say there’s no silver bullet for such problems: no simple, magical solution to the poor quality Education that has beleaguered Tanzania for decades.
It is for this reason, then, that we urge caution and prudence to prevail regarding EP4R.
