EQUIP–Tanzania POLICY BRIEF
Gender and the transition to secondary school
Secondary School Readiness Programme (SSRP)
Between primary and secondary school, over a third of girls and boys drop out of the formal education system due to factors such as early and forced marriage, pressure to begin work or household help. This is true even if a child has passed the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and has a place at secondary school.
Background
These challenges are especially true for girls who are affected more than boys. In 2016, boys’ transition rates were higher (65%) compared to girls (53%), while in 2017 this rose to 72% (boys) and 62% (girls) respectively (EP4R 2017). Further, girls’ transition rates have not kept pace with a rise in their performance at primary school. Despite a 19% rise in girls’ PSLE pass rates between 2008 and 2015, over a third of girls still drop out of formal education on leaving primary school.
An Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) report on Tanzania (2016), highlighted the need to have specific interventions for girls to maximise programme ultimate goal target transition rates for girls. EQUIPTanzania responded to this by designing and piloting an 8-week programme named the Secondary School Readiness Programme (SSRP) in partnership with the Government of Tanzania. Building on lessons from the successful School Readiness Programme (SRP), which focused on pre-primary children, SSRP focused on developing skills to navigate gender-based constraints to participation in secondary school.
The SSRP pilot was designed to achieve the following outcomes:
● Enable successful transition to secondary school for girls who passed their PSLE and have a place in secondary school
● Improve English language competency as it is the medium of instruction in secondary school
● Empower girls with life skills in small income generation, setting personal goals, understanding gender barriers in career development, reproductive health and menstrual hygiene education.
The SSRP was piloted in 2017 in 25% of wards across the nine regions in which EQUIP-Tanzania operates. In total, 18,048 students (16,194 girls and 1,854 boys) in 331 wards across nine regions enrolled in SSRP. 889 girls participated in a Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey. 162 parents and girls joined focus group discussions. The survey covered 331 randomly-selected wards with participants randomly selected by lottery.
Key findings
Findings suggest a range of positive outcomes for girls, including increased likelihood of transitioning from primary to secondary school, and development of girls’ life skills. This suggests that preparing students, especially girls, for transition to secondary school is an important investment if policy makers are committed to ensuring all children complete their education.
30% improvement in English language competency. Girls’ showed increased engagement and confidence in English role play and dramas. There was a 30% average improvement in English observed by the end of the pilot. English language competency is a key factor limiting girls’ success in secondary education. English teaching competency was among the key criterion for the selection SSRP mentor teachers.
Increased understanding of girls on gender issues. The KAP survey tested girls’ attitudes towards various gender statements and most girls showed a clear preference for positive messages about women’s role in society.
Improved knowledge on factors affecting girls’ ability to remain in secondary education. Feedback from girls and their parents included:
● Usefulness of personal hygiene sessions. Girls were able to make their own re-usable menstrual pads
● Recognition that peer pressure can negatively affect decision-making with longer-term impacts on education and career pathways
● Awareness that broader life skills and competencies, such as income generation, are important outcomes that show the benefits of girls’ education.
Girls showed a broader perspective on life after primary school and outside formal education, even in instances where they do not pass the PSLE. Improved knowledge of alternative career pathways and understanding of life skills was acknowledged as necessary to address challenges that girls encounter.
31% of girls identified discussion as their favourite SSRP activity. Girls were encouraged to speak their minds freely and learn from each other. This helped improve understanding of issues often misconceived as ‘sinful’ or ‘bad manners’.
Parents were positive about the aims of the SSRP and the anticipated outcomes for their children. One parent commented:
“Secondary school readiness preparation: aim to increase girl’s awareness and life skills knowledge. The programme should continue every year. Eight weeks is not enough. It should be a three-month program”.
Girls and teachers want SSRP extended beyond eight weeks. 69% of girls and 75% teachers favour a longer programme and nearly all want SSRP to comprise several sessions a week. 90% expressed an interest in targeting Standard 7 leavers as aimed. 59% of girls preferred SSRP to be delivered by their Standard 7 teacher, with 19% preferring a guidance counsellor.
Challenges
● Attendance in SSRP centres dropped by around 18% after PSLE results were published, with many students believing SSRP sessions were only meant for those passing PSLE, though some returned towards the end of the pilot.
● Distance to the SSRP centres caused accessibility issues. Some mentor teachers had to manage more than one centre to ensure students’ access to the scheme.
● Many SSRP sessions started late because parents had other priorities. Head Teachers asked to become key actors in SSRP to ensure parents are well-informed ahead of time.
● Some parents did not let their children participate. Parents with participating children suggested SSRP should be mandatory, instructed by LGAs, so all Standard 7 leavers benefit.
Recommendations
Expand SSRP to all wards and regions. So that girls across Tanzania can develop the skills and confidence to make key life decisions and to improve secondary enrolment and retention rates.
Involve school staff – such as head teachers and mentor teachers – in the delivery of SSRP. Schools are best placed to inform parents in advance, to maximise girls’ participation. Trained mentor teachers should be involved in future roll-out as trainers for other teachers in their wards.
Build links between primary schools and the Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA), so students who do not pass PSLE can enrol in vocational centres and seek alternative pathways appropriate to them.
Deliver early interventions for improving academic performance at the school level to increase PSLE pass rates. Primary to secondary transition is limited in regions and districts where pass rates are low. Targeted support to these areas is required to achieve better learning outcomes and progress for all.
About the programme
EQUIP-Tanzania is a £90m, UKAID-funded education programme supporting the Government of Tanzania to improve the quality of learning outcomes in primary schools, particularly for girls. It focuses on system-led, cost-effective improvements that deliver change in ways that can be replicated at national scale. The programme began implementation in 2014 with five regions and has since expanded to reach the current nine regions (Dodoma, Katavi, Kigoma, Lindi, Mara, Shinyanga, Simiyu, Singida, and Tabora), covering 5,196 primary schools and over three million pupils (PO-RALG, BEMIS Report 2017).
For more information about Equip Tanzania visit: www.equip-t.org info@equip-t.org
EQUIPTanzania
equiptanzania.equiptanzania
