STRUCTURE OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
- Pre-higher education:
Duration of compulsory education:
Age of entry: 7 Age of end: 14
- Basic First Stage
Type of school providing this education: Primary School (Lower Stage)
Duration of program in years: 4
Age levels from: 7 to: 11
- Basic Second Stage
Type of school providing this education: Primary School (Upper Stage)
Duration of program in years: 3
Age level from: 11 to: 14
Certificate/diploma awarded: Primary School Leaving Certificate
- Lower Secondary
Type of school providing this education: Lower Secondary School
Duration of program in years: 4
Age level from: 14 to: 18
Certificate/diploma awarded: Certificate of Secondary Education (CSE)
- Upper Secondary(A-level)
Type of school providing this education: Upper Secondary School
Duration of program in years: 2
Age level from: 18 to: 20
Certificate/diploma awarded: Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education
(ACSE)
School education:
Primary education lasts for seven (7) years, divided into two stages
of four(thus student continue to std V after passed std 1V exams) and
there after for those passed they continue standard(std) V to VII,in
STD VII there also examination to join Secondary School. It culminates
in the Primary School Leaving Certificate. Secondary school is divided
into six Forms. Lower secondary school includes Forms I-IV and culminates
in a national examination. Those who pass obtain the Certificate of
Secondary Education (CSE). The curriculum is divided into four bias:
Agriculture, Commerce, Technical Education/skills, and Home Economics.
The 1992 curriculum reform introduced into each stream three subjects:
Social Studies, Computer Science and Unified Science. Unified Science
is taught as an alternative to Biology, Chemistry and Physics, whereas
Social Studies is offered as an alternative to Geography, History and
Political Science. At the high school level, pupils study subject combinations
of their choice, depending on their results in the examinations at the
end of the first cycle of secondary education. Upper secondary school
includes Forms V-VI and culminates in a national examination. Those
who pass obtain the Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education (ACSE).
Students required to choose three principal subjects out of the following:-
Sciences and Mathematics, Arts and Social Sciences, Commercial Subjects
. The fourth subject is Political Education (civics) this subject is
compulsory. Some secondary schools are technical oriented schools this
school are few. The ACSE gives access to higher education. Students
successfully completing the Certificate of Secondary Education may continue
their studies at technical colleges which offer Certificate and Diploma
level training.
In Tanzania education is competitive, the privatization thus there are
private school owner and public school (government) but community built
with the government assistance (local or central)
Higher education:
The provision of higher education is done by nine universities, some
few training colleges and institutes .Higher education institutions
are under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Technology and
Higher Education. The Universities manage their own affairs under the
Vice-Chancellor, who is the appointee of the President of Tanzania.
The running of these higher education institutions costs are subsidized
by the Government.
Academic year: Classes start from September the year then end : June
Non-university level:
In the last decade, the number of technical, vocational, and professional
schools has increased substantially. They are the responsibility of
the relevant Government Ministry under which they fall. The schools
which award Certificates, Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas and Postgraduate
Diplomas are categorized according to the type of programme offered.
Diploma programmes, which last for two years, require Form VI and work
experience. Certificates require two to three years' study. The Technician's
Certificate requires two years of study. The Full Technician's Certificate
requires three years of study. Advanced Diploma programmes, which lasts
for three years, require Form VI and work experience. Postgraduate Diploma
programmes require a Degree or Bachelor for admission and generally
last for one year.
University level studies
The first phase leads to a Bachelor's Degree. It usually lasts for three
years, except in Pharmacy, Nursing, Veterinary Science and Engineering,
which take four years, and Medicine, which takes five years. At the
Open University courses generally last for six years.
University level second stage: Graduate level:
A further one to three years' study leads to a Master's Degree. Postgraduate
Diplomas require a Bachelor's Degree for admission and, generally, one
year of study.
University level third stage: Postgraduate level:
A minimum of a further two years' original research and submission of
a thesis lead to a PhD.
Teacher education:
Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers
The Grade C Certificate entitles the holders to teach in the first two
grades of primary education. The Grade B Certificate is obtained by
promotion or by successfully completing a four-year course at a teacher
training college after grade 7. The Grade A Certificate is obtained
on successful completion of a two-year course at the end of Form IV
and entitles the holder to teach in all seven grades of primary education.
Training of secondary school teachers
A two-year Diploma course at a College of National Education is required,
after passing the ACSE, for teaching at lower secondary level(O-level).
Teachers for upper secondary level should hold a Bachelor of Education
or a Postgraduate Diploma in Education. Opportunities for in-service
training have increased with the creation of village-based teacher training
programmes.
Addition the last 5 years Tanzania experienced high education reform
for equity and quality .this rose the demand for more teachers from
primary schools as well as secondary school and University.
MORE TEACHERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO MEET PRIMARY EDUCATION NEED.
From, this year 2006 the government has sat the program to train more
teachers for Secondary Schools.
