Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa
education policy having conceded it faces several challenges especially
uncertainty among parents and school managers.
The announcement was made yesterday before the National Assembly by Prime
Minister, Kassim Majaliwa. The PM admitted that the free education policy
is marred by several challenges and has caused confusion among parents and
school manager hence the need for the new guidelines.
Speaking during the Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) weekly session in
parliament, he said the government is aware of the challenges and that the
ministry is to issue new guidelines on the matter.
“There seem to be a lot of confusion on the free education initiative but
the government is preparing guidelines that will clarify everything once
for all,” said the PM.
He said the main confusion is on the question of meals for boarding and
day secondary schools and clarified that the government has scrapped away
fees for meals in boarding schools but not for day scholars.
“Parents whose children go to day secondary schools will continue to pay
for meals since the schools,” he and took the chance to highlight that the
government has also abolished examination fees for standard four and form
two national examinations.
The clarifications from the PM were prompted by a question posed by the
Babati Urban MP, Pauline Gekul (Chadema) who wanted an explanation as to
why there is ‘discrimination against day schools’ which are still forcing
parents to pay meal allowances while boarding schools do not charge the
fee.
“Early this month the government issued directives on free education in
effort to reduce burden for parents, but the directives have caused a lot
of confusion with some paying fees while others do not pay,” the MP said.
At the start of this week, the government announced that it has set aside
137bn/- to fund the promised free education from primary school through to
secondary school form four.
According to Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, the money will serve to cover
the first half of the year, January to June 2016.
“The government promised to offer free education, we are determined to
implement the pledge,” Majaliwa said noting that the government has
already calculated and established the amount needed for food in both
boarding and day schools.
” We are comfortable that we can afford the cost,” said the Premier.
“We have the money and the government has started disbursing it, we want
all children to go to school in January when the schools reopen,” he said.
The PM went on to announce that the government will also pay examination
fees for the students, an expense that usually costs students 10000/- for
secondary school students.
“This is an emergency plan, it was not in the budget for 2015/2016 thus we
will be required to request for the permit to proceed,” he said.
“Anyone who will abuse this money will be dealt with accordingly …we
have already issued directives to council directors and education officers
and warned them on the use of the funds,” added the PM.
Mid December last year, the government released the free education
circular that abolished payment of any fees or other contributions to
public schools.
Signed by Commissioner of Education, Professor Eustella Bhalalusesa, the
Government Circular Number 5 of 2015 is part of implementation of the
Education and Training Policy 2014 and realisation of President John
Magufuli’s campaign pledge.
“Provision of free education means pupils or students will not pay any fee
or other contributions which parents used to pay before the release of new
circular,” reads the circular in part.
Before release of the circular, secondary school students studying in day
schools were paying TZS 20,000 fees while those in boarding schools were
paying TZS 40,000. There were also numerous other contributions that were
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