ARTICLE 17: EDUCATION AND CULTURE
The Right to Education falls under Part II of the Constitution of the United Republic of
Tanzania and it is not enforceable. Article 11(2) provides that every person has a right to
education, and every citizen shall be free to pursue the field of education of his choice up
to the utmost standard subject only to his merit and ability.
Article 11 (3) of the Constitution provides that, the Government shall endeavour to ensure
that there are equal and adequate opportunities to all persons to enable them acquire
education and vocational training at all levels of schools and other institutions of
learning.
The government's effort to improve education focuses on the distribution and
equalization of the education opportunities for both sexes and expansion of the system at
all levels, including the attainment of the primary education. In order to achieve this the
government has embarked upon a programme which among other things aims at
increasing the enrolment of primary school pupils. Religious organisations and some
Non-governmental. organisations have come up with models and approaches for
alternative education towards women. and children as protection measures. The gender
imbalance at all levels of education is being addressed by the Governrnent.
The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania considers education as one of the
major factors of development. In that regard, the government has formulated an
Education and Training Policy of 1995 in order to raise the education standard of her
citizens. The Education and Training Policy of 1995, apart from other objectives, aims at
promoting access to basic education available to all citizens as a basic right, encouraging
equitable distribution of educational institutions and resources, and expanding and
improving girls' education to enhance gender balance. The Policy aims at promoting and
facilitating access to education to the disadvantaged social and cultural groups. Such
groups include those who have not had access to this right due to their style of living,
who among them are the hunters, gatherers, fi shermen and pastoralists like the Masai;
others on account of marginalisation such as orphans and most vulnerable children e.g.
street chHdren, others on account of their physical and mental disabilities such as the
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