Curriculum Implementers’ Perspectives on Relevance of Secondary Education in Real-Life Settings

Abstract

The recent expansion of enrollment in secondary education in Tanzania has contributed to an increase in the number of secondary education graduates in the society than before. Regardless of the increase, there has been a poor transition rate to post-secondary education and therefore making the majority return to their communities to join the informal sector to sustain their livelihood. This article presents the findings on the relevance of secondary education curriculum to youth’s livelihood in Tanzania. It addresses the issue of the application of secondary education knowledge to learners’ social-economic context. Qualitative data were collected in 10 densely populated wards in the Mvomero district to secondary education leavers, headteachers, and academic teachers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Content analysis was used to analyze data. The findings revealed secondary education has the potential to improve individuals’ living standards and birth control. However, the study also showed that economic activities are still gender-specific, coupled with male-dominated traditions. In addition, the study revealed knowledge disjunction between the school and real-life settings. Moreover, the centralized curriculum widens the gap between school knowledge and real-life because it does not respond to the diversified geographical environment of Tanzania. Based on the findings the study recommends curriculum development process involve diverse groups of stakeholders to design contents that are reflective of the respective societal needs, integration of theory and practice in teaching and learning, and integration of both general and skill-based education.