Yes we need Collective Learning in Schools

I sat and listened to the presenters during the farewell function of Rakesh Rajani. The topic for that afternoon was "How can we help children in school learn real skills?" The founder of Twaweza Rakesh, has always wanted improvement in education and the education system in Tanzania. He has championed this ideal and he is a living testimony of a campaigner for education. Befittingly, Rakesh wanted to sign off with debates. In this particular debate on 8 January 2015, the panel which had distinguished educationists and policy practitioners highlighted a number of very interesting points. 

Although I did not have the opportunity to relay my appreciation and reaction, I choose to pen them down here. Madam Marjorie Mbilinyi, an educationist and former Executive Director of Tanzania Gender Networking Program (TDNP) highlighted a very important point. She believes the best way to make children in school learn real skills is through collective learning. A tragedy of our time, is that we live in a individualistic society, a society that is geared to competition. I call this unnecessary competition where we forget the values of working together, pulling together in the African spirit. 

Today, children are moulded to become competitive beings; who comes first is feted and he comes last is vilified. Parents demand their children to come first in class regardless of whether they grasp what is being taught. Our children today are taught how to cram and reproduce what they've crammed. What a tragedy! Children need to be taught the art of collective learning as Madam Marjorie pointed out. In addition, how do we make sure that learning is enjoyable? Learning should be fun, learning should be interesting. Hence teachers should also learn and nurture the spirit of collective learning. This spirit breeds unlimited success as children learn to appreciate their strengths, and work on their weaknesses. Children will learn to appreciate that they could get a careers in sports, music, entertainment, and not be bulldozed into the traditional careers because his father is an engineers and the mother is a paediatrician. Although not to its entirety, this can be achieved through collective learning in our schools.       

Debate on Sim-Card Tax: Views by Tanzanians

By Twaweza

A study by Twaweza on the controversial sim-card tax reveals a number of interesting findings. One key finding is that the tax amount is equivalent to a one week worth of airtime for the poorest households. One positive finding was that most Tanzanians have access to mobile phones but still an abysmal 46% are aware of the sim-card tax. See complete briefing here

Rasimu ya Katiba na Lugha ya Kiswahili: Mjadala Kuntu!

Nicodemus Minde-@decolanga

Ni karibu wiki moja tangia Tume ya Mabadiliko ya Katiba chini ya Mwenyekiti Jaji Mstaafu Joseph Warioba kuzindua rasmi rasimu ya Katiba. Mijadala miongoni mwa Watanzania wengi imekua ni mfumo wa serikali, mazungumzo ya muungano, madaraka ya rais, umri wa rais, na mengine mengi. Nimefuatilia mazungumzo mengi yaliyotokana na uzinduzi huu wa rasimu ya katiba. Ninafuraha kubwa kuona muamko mpya wa majadiliano miongoni mwa Watanzania kuhusianana na rasimu hii. Hakika, Tanzania ipo katika mpito wa mafanikio. Tunamshukuru Mungu.

Wakati Tume ya Mabadiliko ya Katiba ikipokea maoni, moja kati la swala kuu lililovuta hisia ya Watanzania wengi ni lile la lugha ya taifa, Kiswahili. Hata kabla ya mchakato huu wa katiba, kulikua na mijadala kuhusiana na sehemu ya lugha ya Kiswahili kwenye elimu ya Tanzania, na katika Katiba Mpya kwa ujumla. Sekta mbali mbali pamoja na asasi mbali mbali za kieleimu zilitoa mapendekezo yao. Baraza la Kiswahili Tanzania (BAKITA) walisisitiza umuhimu wa lugha ya Kiswahili kwenye elimu. Hivi karibuni, nchi ilishtushwa na matokeo duni ya Kidato cha Nne (Soma ufafanuzi hapa). Wananchi walizungumza kwa kina kuhusu sababu za kufeli kwa wanafuzi, asasi mbali mbali pamoja na idara za serikali walitoa sababu zao. Hivi karibuni, Twaweza, ambalo ni shirika la kiraia lilitoa tathmini kuhusiana na kufeli kwa wanafunzi wa kidato cha nne. Moja ya jambo lililopewa kipaumbele ni matumizi ya lugha ya Kiswahili kwenye ngazi ya sekondari. 

Kwenye ibara ya nne ya rasimu ya Katiba, lugha ya Kiswahili inapewa kipaumbele cha juu. Kifungu cha kwanza katiba ibara hii inaeleza kwamba: Lugha ya Taifa ya Jamhuri ya Muungano ni Kiswahili na itatumika katika mawasiliano rasmi ya kitaifa na kiserikali. Kifungu cha pili kinaeleza: Bila ya kuathiri masharti ya Ibara ndogo ya (1), lugha ya Kiingereza inaweza kutumika kuwa lugha rasmi ya mawasiliano ya kiserikali pale itakapohitajika.

Kwa mtazamo wangu, maelezo na mapendekezo yaliyotolewa na Tume ya Warioba kuhusiana na Kiswahili ni bora. Kwanza, utambulisho wa Mtanzania ni ule unaotokana na ufasiri wa lugha, uongeaji wa lugha ya Kiswahili na juu ya yote utofauti wetu unaotokana na uongeaji wa Kiswahili. Wale wanaopinga matumizi ya Kiswahili sababu yao kuu ni sehemu ya Tanzania miongoni mwa mataifa ya dunia. Wanasema Watanzania watabaki kuwa waongeaji wa Kiswahili wakati lugha ya biashara, lugha ya uhusiano wa kimataifa ni Kiingereza. Rasimu ya Katiba imeweka wazi kwamba lugha ya Kiingereza inaweza tumika katika mazingira ya kipekee. 

Swali kuntu hapa ni je, Kiswahili kibaki kama lugha rasmi, ya kiofisi na lugha ya kufundishia? Ama tubadilishe na tutumie Kiingereza kama lugha ya kufundishia? Ama zote zitumike kwa mkupuo? Hakika kazi tunayo ili kupata muafaka.