The Achievement of USAIDS Tusome Pamoja in Improving Early Grade Reading Skills in Primary Schools in Morogoro Municipal

Abstract

Following establishment of the low reading and writing levels among primary school levels (UWEZO, 2013), three projects were designed to test possible programs to raise primary school reading levels. These included EQUIPT literacy program, LANES and Tusome Pamoja programs. They ran parallel in Tanzania, each operating in separate districts of focus. Tusome Pamoja operated in Mbeya, Zanzibar and Morogoro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the achievement of Tusome Pamoja program in improving reading ability of standard two pupils in primary schools. Only 4 school were involved in the study. The sample of the study constituted 89 respondents including 4 teachers, 4 head of schools and 81standard two pupils. Data collected through in Morogoro municipality through testing, interviews, observation, questionnaire and documentary review. The help of Microsoft Excel Program, Microsoft Word, SPSS, and content analysis analyzed the data. Findings of the study revealed that, the teachers are not well prepared in teachers’ colleges. Most of primary teachers who teach reading are not interested with carrier development. There are some intervention programs, which help in improving teacher’s ability in teaching reading. These programs are especially important, as they are specific to early grade skills. It also revealed that, the teachers faced a number of problems in teaching reading including shortage of resources, poor cooperation from parents and lack of food program. The study recommended that the school owners should prepare in-service education program and seminars that enhanced teaching of reading skills in Tanzania.