Feed A Hungry Mind

Report 8^th December 2013

On Friday 29^th November the primary schools closed for the end of the school year. They have a long holiday now until the new school years starts on Monday 13^th January.

Standard IV national examinations took place on 20^th September and the results will be out by the end of the year. The national examinations for Standard VII at the end of their primary education took place on the 11^th and 12^th 
September and the results have already been published. The pass mark for the examinations was 40 out of 100. This is preferable to last year when it was 28 out of 100. However, even with a pass mark of 40%, of those who
sat the examinations only 28.62% passed. Statistics must be treated with care,and examination results depend very much on the questions, the marking scheme etc. However, whatever allowances are made, and even though marginally better than last year, this overall result is shocking.

Barbara Kerr, our mathematics specialist, will get the Standard VII examination papers at the end of the year, and she will start her analysis.

In September Barbara and Katy Allen, the director of VEPK, went to Dar es Salaam to see the principal curriculum coordinator for mathematics at the Tanzania Institute of Education, Ms Ratera Mayar. She introduced Barbara and Katy to the director of research, information and publications at the Institute. Barbara and Katyhanded over the file they had prepared which set out the deficiencies in the maths syllabus with suggestions for the improvements needed. Ratera and her director were delighted to see VEPK’s research and findings and immediately suggested a collaboration. In order to change the syllabus the Institute needs evidence, and VEPK was invited to run a
pilot project in a primary school in Dar es Salaam and to work in liaison with the Institute. The pilot will start in the new school year in January 2014 and will use the maths books for pre-primary, Standard I and Standard II written by Jane Firth. Seminars and workshops will be run for teachers of all Standards.

In September Jane Firth gave a whole-day presentation to primary school teachers as part of the Mathematical Association of Tanzania’s annual conference. The day was a great success and it gave an outline of teaching methods and activities to use with the pupils of pre-primary, Standard I and Standard II so that the fundamental mathematical concepts are understood. Jane emphasised the use of ‘concrete’ items so that the pupils can see the mathematics, and the teachers were encouraged by the simplicity of the resources and the activities.

Later in September Jane gave a series of seminars for pre-primary teachers in 8 primary schools. This was part of VEPK’s new partnership with F T Kilimanjaro in the Lower Moshi area.

In September Kand Dilly Mtui, the project’s coordinator, met the new Principal Secretary to the Ministry of Education & Vocational Training. Professor Mchome took office in late August, and had previously chaired a Commission on secondary school examination results to which Katy and Barbara gave their views based on research and experience. Professor Mchome was very keen to get the English course books into the schools and instigated action from the Commissioner for Education and the Acting Director General of the Tanzania Institute of Education. Despite meetings with each individual no joint meeting was able to be arranged before Katy returned to the UK. After that the Parliamentary sessions started in Dodoma which took Professor Mchome away from his office in Dar es Salaam. With the long holidays beginning it is unlikely that anything will progress until January 2014.

With the schools now closed and the Christmas and new-year festivities awaited, there will be no work in the schools or with officials until January. This gives VEPK an opportunity to prepare for the work ahead and to reflect on its successes in 2013. There might also be a chance for a little rest and relaxation!

In 2013 VEPK has cemented its reputation as a significant organisation in the primary education sector in Tanzania.
VEPK’s work in the primary schools is based on expertise in the subjects with a thorough knowledge and understanding of the Tanzania context. VEPK’s ability to have access to and communicate with education officials at all levels is the single most important ingredient in its drive for change. All of this is because of VEPK’s long-term presence, building working relationships.

VEPK wishes all of its supporters a very happy festive season and a very good New Year. Most of all
VEPK thanks every one for their support and their appreciation of the benefits of a long-term approach to development and change.

Very best wishes
Katy
Katy Allen
Director

8^th December 2013