Challenges Experienced by Teachers while Implementing Pre-Primary School Education in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Abstract

Early childhood education is a critical period of rapid cognitive and psychosocial development of a child. The quality of education a child receives at this critical age determines, to a large extent, the level of his or her physical, cognitive, and social development. In Zanzibar, pre-primary school education (PPE) is an aspect of two years of compulsory basic education provided to children aged four to five. The intention was to increase children's access to basic education in the Islands. While all hands are on deck to ensure proper and successful implementation of the education policy objective of 2006, it is unfortunate that PPE is facing some challenges which do not match with policy expectations. This paper examines the challenges experienced by teachers while implementing PPE in Zanzibar. The study employed qualitative methodology and a case study design where only the PPE level, among other levels of education, was involved. A total of 18 participants participated in the study, whereby 10 were pre-primary school teachers, 6 were pre-primary school head teachers, and 2 were quality assurance officers from the Ministry of Education. Data were generated by using focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and documentary reviews. Findings showed that PPE teachers in Zanzibar face policy, community, school, and learner-based challenges that hinder their effective implementation of the policy objective. To improve the situation, the following measures were recommended: 

• Training and employing more personnel in the field of early childhood education,
• Constructing more classrooms to match the enrollment ratios and improving the provision and distribution of teaching and learning materials among schools that offered PPE