Dubai Cares helps educate African nations

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The launch of two Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes by Dubai Cares in Tanzania and Zanzibar could change the face of the country's education system says Cecilia Baldeh Chief of Education at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) - Tanzania.

"The importance of the Dubai Cares grant is that it has actually served as a catalyst to refocus attention on the prioritisation of pre-primary education in Tanzania" Baldeh told Khaleej Times during the official launch of the programmes in Tanzania.

With a target to reach 54400 direct beneficiaries in four years - with more than 1.6 million indirect beneficiaries expected - Dubai Cares has invested more than Dh26m ($7.2) in the 'Fursa kwa Watoto' (FkW) - Tanzania and 'Watoto Kwanza' - Zanzibar programmes.

With a severe lack of specialised pre-primary teachers and training courses at Teacher Training Centres in Tanzania and Zanzibar the current student/teacher ratios are as high as 1:199.

And it is this area which needs the most focus according to Tariq Al Gurg Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares.

In recent years the Government of Tanzania has achieved great progress in facilitating access to early education programs for children. Building on such progress we must turn our attention to the quality of these provisions and tackle challenges such as shortage of qualified pre-primary teachers.

Initially piloted in 2014 60 schools in mainland Tanzania were piloted as part of the FkW programme. With this phase now complete and an assessment by the Ministry of Education deeming it "promising" the model will now be rolled out across a further 120 schools.

A final Impact Evaluation is set for 2017.

"The government already has a national educational training policy and within that policy there is an explicit focus on pre-primary education. What we haven't had is a plan for the implementation of a national program for pre-primary education" Baldeh said.

But that is where Dubai Cares steps in.

"Their contribution will help the government develop and generate the evidence base needed for the future development of a nationally scaled up programme."

Pre-primary education in UAE:

According to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) more than 90 per cent of the age appropriate children in Dubai are enrolled inkindergarten surpassing the attendance rates of many Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

DedicatedKindergartenschools: 124 (government) 11 (private)

Kindergartenclassrooms: 1544 (some within government schools) 5622 (some within private schools)

No: of students: 158375 (Male - 81320; Female - 77055)

Source: Ministry of Education 2014/15

The end-goal for the Tanzania-based programme will help the country move from where it currently sits with a 34 per cent net enrollment rate for pre-primary education (approx 1m students) to at least 75-80 per cent in the new plan period.

It is also working towards decreasing the age for access to quality primary education from 5 to 6-year-olds to 4 and 5-year-olds.

In 2013 just 50.6 per cent of students in Tanzania passed the Primary School Leaving Exam (PSLE). Only eight per cent of students in Grade Two were at the benchmark level for reading and math.

The Dubai Cares' FkW programme is working towards two outcomes: children demonstrate improved school readiness and learning outcomes in Grade 2; the government of Tanzania has costed and proven models for equitable expansion of access to quality pre-primary education.

Clarence Mwinuka Principal Education Officer for Primary Education at the Ministry of Education told Khaleej Times the results so far are promising.

"I myself have been to some of the schools which were piloted and the before and after difference is huge. Children are learning better and teachers are teaching better."

With engagement between teacher and student picking up he said it has "given hope" to a country where pre-primary enrollment is low.

During a visit to the country to witness the success of the programmes so far Al Gurg told Khaleej Times it is important to come and see what Dubai Cares has signed up for.

Participating schools:

Pilot school: Aljadidi Nursery School Zanzibar (ages 3 4 and 5)20 girls34 boys2 teachers

Pilot school: Madrasa Al Karim Zanzibar (ages 4 and 5)43 boys38 girls5 teachers

Pilot school: Mabungo Primary School Tanzania (ages 4 5 and 6)39 girls43 boys1 teacher (split sessions - one morning one afternoon)

2016 roll-out school: Kilai primary school Tanzania (ages 5 and 6)26 boys23 girls1 teacher

"We want to come here and see the progress and see the programmes in action. We have invested the UAE government's money and money from the UAE people in this and they have trusted us. It is my job to see how the job is being done. I want 110 per cent and that is what we are seeing here."

In Zanzibar the 'Watoto Kwanza' programme has seen 100 of the 275 government schools open a dedicated pre-primary education classroom.

Enrollment has increased from 30.9 per cent in 2014 to nearly 50 per cent in 2016 and $1.3m of the overall $7.2m budget has been set aside for this programme.

A total of 900 government and community pre-school teachers are also being trained through the programme however according to statistics from Zanzibar an estimated 3000 ECD teachers are needed.

To address this issue Dubai Cares is working towards three major components in Zanzibar: professional development of teachers; creating conducive and constructive teaching and learning environments; and strengthening school community and government support systems.

The multi-agency programme sees Dubai Cares partner with the Ministry of Education Science Technology and Vocational Training Children in Crossfire United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Ministry of Education and Vocational Training - Zanzibar the Madrasa Early Childhood Programme - Zanzibar Aga Khan University and Mathematica Policy Research.

Dubai Cares' early childhood education programmes in mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar follow successful education programmes previously launched in 41 developing countries around the world.

Kelly Clarke Originally from the UK Kelly Clarke joined Khaleej Times in November 2012 as a reporter. She has a keen interest in humanitarian issues and loves to champion the efforts of local residents companies in offering aid and development assistance to both local and region-wide causes. She works mainly within the healthcare beat but regularly produces human interest features. In her spare to she loves to travel and regularly volunteers at Riding for the Disabled in Dubai. Kelly received her BA Honours in Journalism from Middlesex University UK in 2008. Before joining Khaleej Times she worked as a Supervising Editor for three Healthcare titles in London. KellyAnn_Clarke