Following the new development achievements, the three agencies of Department for International Development (DFID) UK, Sweden and World Bank will release some 75 bn/- to be utilized in improving education.
Low reading capacity by standard three pupils was identified in 2013 as a key constraint in the Big Results Now Education Lab where the reform programme was designed in addition to drop outs and low passes rates for older children taking primary school examination and form IV examinations.
In the survey the results not only revealed that girls were performing slightly better than boys but it also found that the proportion of complete no-readers has fallen sustainably.
“Reading speed is very crucial as it constitutes a strong link to comprehension which assures a growing number of 8 million pupils enrolled in government schools are expected to improve,” said Department for International Development (DFID) Senior Education Advisor, Mr Ian Attfield.
At the request of Tanzanian government, Research Triangle Institute (RTI) was contracted by USAID to conduct baseline 3Rs survey using Early Grade Reading and Numeracy Assessment (EGRA and EGMA) methodology in 2013.
A follow up 3Rs survey was carried out in February 2016 it was administered to a total of 7,765 standard three pupils randomly selected from within 650 schools for the 25 regions of Tanzania mainland as well as Zanzibar.
Speaking during the dissemination of the national 3Rs assessment report Minister for Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Prof Joyce Ndalichako said whilst the improvements in pupils reading speed is realised in the country more emphasis should be put in improving quality of education provided.
“We are recording achievements but more has to be done to improve the quality of education with regard to the new education policy adopted in 2015,” she said.
Prof Ndalichako said stakeholders should come up with a catalyst that will improve the situation on the ground as access, equity and quality are things to be worked upon. USAID Mission Director, Mr Timoth Donnay, said basic educational skills are essential element to a quality education system.
“With proper foundation children become more self-reliant and can draw on their own skills to continue grow and develop throughout their lives,” he said.
Mr Donnay said children still need more practice advancing from laborious, word by word reading to reading in meaningful phrases, but the trend is positive and it is clear that greater emphasis on 3Rs makes a difference in schools across the country.
In 2013 USAID worked with the Ministry and the Big Results Now Initiative to conduct a 3Rs assessment in 200 schools from 20 districts representing both urban and rural areas, more than 2,200 standard two pupils completed the assessment.
Results showed that eight per cent of children were reading with grade level comprehension and standard two pupils on average could read 17.9 correct words per minute.
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