THE government has assured the public that it is working round the clock to address minor challenges experienced in some schools with the introduction of free education.
It has also defended the presence of
such trivial shortcomings, insisting that it was not easy to start
implementing such policy fully on right footing. The clarification comes
amidst complaints from various stakeholders, including parents and
teachers, that the implementation of the policy has to some extent
gotten off on the wrong foot.
Deputy Education, Science, Technology
and Vocational Training Minister, Engineer Stella Manyanya, told the
‘Daily News’ in an exclusive interview in Dar es Salaam yesterday that
the government is ready to receive all complaints and critiques so that
it can improve the service.
“We are ready to receive complaints on
the new system and find better ways to solve them. Everything has been
outlined in the guideline,” she said.
Eng Manyanya pointed out that the
guidelines were very clear in which teachers has also a role to play
instead of blaming one another. She added that even when education was
made free, families can still pay significant amounts for their
children’s education.
The minister noted the various
challenges experienced on the distribution of subsidy, which she said
were to a greater extent caused by school heads who might have
overlooked some aspects while preparing their budgets before sending
them to their municipal councils. She further said heads were supposed
to prepare their budgets in line with the number of students they have
and their expenses.
“Most teachers prepared their budgets in
December; I guess due to limited time, they were not able to include
everything they want. But we have already observed that and we are ready
to solve any problem that we may identify,” she elaborated.
Eng Manyanya explained that when
President Magufuli talked about free education, he meant that the
government will provide funds for electricity and water bills,
watchmen’s salaries and laboratory equipment.
Commenting on schools that have been
ordering their students to bring to school buckets of maize and beans,
she said in some of the schools, parents and schools’ committees have
reached amicable agreements to that effect to enable the provision of
meals in the schools. However, she cautioned teachers against using the
opportunity for their own benefit.
A headteacher from one of the schools in
Dar es Salaam, who preferred anonymity, said they had drafted a budget
of almost 800,000/- but only 350,000/- has been deposited in their
school account to which they have been directed to leave untouched until
further notice. “Currently, we don’t have electricity and water.
Our students get difficulties in using
latrines. We hope the directives will be out soon to enable us to pay
bills,” he said. The government will deposit a total of 18.77bn/- each
month directly to the school’s accounts from the Treasury without
passing through the District local government headquarters to avoid
misuse of funds and other delays in project implementation.
Parents or guardians will be involved in
ensuring that students get school and sports uniforms, minor studying
materials like exercise books, pens, medical expenses while also playing
a role in giving proper guidance on good conduct and discipline.
Responsibility of other education’s
stakeholders around the schools will include voluntary assistance as
would be agreed. Other responsibilities that fall under the
stakeholder’s category include, ensuring that all children who have
attained the school-going age to join preschool, primary and secondary
schools timely and remain in school throughout.
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