Adult Education in Tanzania: Life-Long Process for National Development.

Overview & Synopsis

For Tanzanians, education to be meaningful implies human development through education. Tanzania's commitment to build a socialist state, based on traditional African socialism, is also a commitment to socialist education, the necessary tool for social development. Since work is a lifelong duty for any socialist, work-oriented education is also a lifelong duty. Tanzania is replacing the elitist colonial education system with universal education aimed at implementing socialism and promoting self-reliance. Part of this is a national campaign for adult education in order to combat the poverty and backwardness resulting from ignorance and to explain the meaning of the new social order and its values. Adult education is an integral part of the employee's work program. A major goal is to wipe out illiteracy by 1975. Specific objectives of adult education are: (1) to mobilize the rural and urban masses into a better understanding of socialism and self-reliance; (2) to provide leadership training at all levels; (3) to eradicate illiteracy; (4) to spread knowledge and skills in agriculture and rural construction, health, and home economics to improve the productivity and standard of living of the people; (5) to provide followup education for primary and secondary school leavers; and (6) to provide continued education in the form of seminars, evening classes, inservice training, correspondence courses, and vocational training. Literacy centers and other adult education centers are beginning this work. In addition, all educated Tanzanians are socially bound to conduct adult education classes. (KM)