Following governments implementation of the free education in Tanzania aimed at taking children of school age off the streets, schools across the country have recorded an overwhelming enrollment of children into primary and secondary levels.
Parents’ positive response to the Fifth Phase Government’s commitment, announcing the provision of free education in primary and secondary schools starting January this year, saw Sirari Ward Secondary School in Tarime District having a large number of students who are supposed to be registered for Form One.
The school’s board of directors is putting up strategies to embark on urgent measures to help 400 students who have reported to commence Form One this year. Some of the efforts include building more classrooms.
Outgoing Board chairman, Mr Joel Mwita, said in an interview that a gathering of parents had agreed to move forward by voluntarily contributing towards daily running expenses including provision of food to help pupils who come from distant localities to attend classes comfortably.
He said they had also introduced a new awareness campaign including traditional elders to motivate parents to support the government’s move to call upon communities to shun female genital mutilation or marrying them off in exchange of dowry.
Mr. Mwita stated thar parents and guardians have shown interest to continue footing minor expenses while supporting the relevant grants that will be disbursed to the school from the central government to cover education costs following the cancellation of school fees.
According to the school head, Mr Jonathan Masambu, they have put precautionary measures to check that no foreign student is enrolled by inspecting birth certificates and a special TSM9 form certifying the selection of each pupil after completion of primary school education since the school is situated only a few kilometers from the Kenyan border.
