Tanzania: School Books Recalled, Reviewed Due to Errors

 

Photo: The Citizen

Standard one pupils getting some guidance of their teacher.

By Louis Kolumbia

Dar es Salaam — The Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) is reviewing a number of error-laden Standard One textbooks.

Revised versions of the textbooks are scheduled to be released next month, TIE has confirmed.

Early last year, TIE issued textbooks titled Najifunza Kuhesabu (I am learning to count), Najifunza Kuandika (I am learning to write), Najifunza Afya na Mazingira (I am learning health and the environment) and Najifunza Michezo na Sanaa (I am learning sports and arts), which were later found to contain errors and other anomalies.

TIE Director General Elia Kibga told The Citizen that the institute had decided to review the textbooks and that the input of various stakeholders had been considered ahead of the release of corrected versions. "We are in the final stages of issuing the textbooks afresh. Hopefully, corrected versions that will replace the 2015 publications will be ready in February," he said.

The Citizen has also established that the textbooks were not produced simultaneously with teachers' guidebooks, contrary to a government directive that requires each textbook to be accompanied by a guidebook for tutors.

As a result, content that was supposed to be in teachers' guidebooks is included in textbooks, specifically Najifunza Afya na Mazingira and Najifunza Michezo na Sanaa.

Also, in Najifunza Kuandika, pupils are directed to write a two-page essay as part of an exercise. This is considered well beyond the ability of children who are six or seven years old, thus raising doubt as to whether the author really understands the target group.

In Najifunza Afya na Mazingira, hair in a diagram of the human body is indicated as "head" instead of the entire part from the neck upwards, something which could mislead pupils. In the same textbook, a piece of soap is erroneously described as an essential item for cleaning the mouth.

In Najifunza Kuhesabu, a vacuum flask is interchangeably called "thermos flask" and "bottle".

In the same textbook, the use of "ondoa" (remove) instead of the traditional "toa" (subtract) and "ongeza" instead of "jumlisha" have raised questions as to whether terms used in mathematics for primary schools have changed. Although "ongeza" and "jumlisha" both mean "add", the latter is the traditional Kiswahili term used in mathematics.

Furthermore, many of the illustrations in the textbooks are too small, although there are some blank pages at the end, which points to poor design.

Another anomaly is that the textbooks have been printed using glossy paper instead of paper recommended for educational materials.

"Glossy paper is not allowed for textbooks because it has higher refractive levels that could damage the eyes of pupils who read such books for a long time," said an expert who asked not to be named.

Dr Kibga told The Citizen that revised versions of the textbooks would be free of all shortcomings noted in earlier editions, adding that the aim was to provide pupils with learning materials of the highest quality.

He accused private publishing firms of "exaggerating" quality issues with textbooks published by TIE after the government banned such companies from publishing educational materials.

"These are normal errors...it's nothing unusual in publishing, but private publishing companies have blown them out of proportion. It's a case of sour grapes. The errors are not a serious as those in the 2.8 million textbooks which the Education minister ordered destroyed when she visited Mbeya recently," he said.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Dr Leonard Akwilapo, dismissed claims that the textbooks contained numerous glaring errors.

He also said there was no need for teachers' guidebooks because the ministry had conducted orientation training for 33,000 Standard One teachers across the country on a new approach to teaching newly enrolled pupils.

Dr Akwilapo agreed that the quality of paper used for the textbooks needed to be improved, but refuted reports that the books were printed on glossy paper.

"The books were not printed using glossy paper, which is not allowed for educational materials, but I agree with you that the paper used has marginally higher refractive levels, but this is not detrimental to pupils' health," he said.

Regarding the use of "ondoa" instead of "toa" and "ongeza" instead of "jumlisha" in Najifunza Kuhesabu, Dr Akwilapo said such words had deliberately been used to simplify learning by using objects such as mangoes.

"Generally, I don't see quality problems with the textbooks. The Educational Material Approval Committee was disbanded for failing to detect errors in textbooks published by private companies, a responsibility TIE is undertaking with commendable competence," he said.

Dr Akwilapo added that over 400 textbook titles published by private publishers were vetted last month, and only 12 were found to have met the required quality standards, showing that books published by private companies were of "a much poorer quality" than those published by TIE.

In another development, Dr Akwilapo dismissed claims that the 2.8 million textbooks destroyed in Mbeya belonged to TIE, saying the company behind the books was Yuko's Enterprises (EA) Company Limited