that prioritize marriage for girls over education. 43
The implementation of PEDP since 2002 has brought positive changes including the
construction of 45,000 classrooms, 8,527 teacher houses, 98,827 latrine pits and 285,898
desks. It has also increased the number of teachers, text books and teaching and learning
materials which have in turn affected enrolment.
Increased enrolment has led to
increases in the number of pupils each teacher has to deal with, resulting in overcrowded
classrooms. Despite the enrolment successes, the need for more classrooms, more
teachers, and more textbooks is still high. Over 43,000 pupils dropped out in 2005 (please
see annex 5, table g).
Unlike Zanzibar, the mainland has yet to develop a policy or enact a law to ensure that
pregnant school girls are allowed to continue their education. It has, however, been
looking at ways of allowing girls to remain in school after giving birth. The Government
is also keen to expand adolescent friendly reproductive health services (see Article 14) as
a way of reducing adolescent pregnancy and its related complications including school
drop out.
COBET - The Complementary Basic Education in Tanzania (COBET) programme aims
to ensure that child who are unable to access formal schooling are able to enjoy their
rights to basic education. COBET aims to give out-of-school children aged between 8 and
18 an opportunity to acquire basic education by following a specialized three years
course of study.44
It targets in particular girls and vulnerable children. The COBET
programme started in 5 pilot districts 1999 and by 2000 had enrolled 1530 learners. In
2003 an evaluation of the programme showed such positive results that the Government
decided to mainstream the programme.
43
Poverty brief, other info.
It enrols children for a study period of three years and then mainstreams them into the formal school system or into
vocational training institutions after taking and passing the standard 4 and standard 7 final examination of the primary
education formal system. COBET admits out of school children in two groups. The first group referred to as Cohort 1
concerns children aged 8-13 years. The second group, Cohort 2 concerns children aged 14-18 years. Cohort 1 is
integrated into the formal education system at standard V or VI after sitting and passing the standard 4 annual national
examination, while the Cohort 2 is integrated into Form 1 (the first grade of secondary school) or into vocational
training after sitting and passing the standard 7 annual national examination.
44
52