Social Exclusion in Access to Primay Education Evidence from Singida Rural District

Abstract

The study examined the existence of social exclusion in primary education provision in Tanzania. The survey was conducted in Singida Rural District and four Wards of Mang'onyi, Msisi, Puma and Ilongero was used as sample survey which represented the all district of Singida Rural. The specific objective were: i) To identify groups that were socially excluded in primary school education, ii) To examine economic and none economic factors influencing/ affecting primary education access and iii) To determine challenges facing marginalized communities in accessing primary education. The Study design was survey. Data were collected using questionnaire, focus group discussion and documentary Reviews methods. The study based in four wards purposive selected from Singida Rural District. The study involved 94 responds from community, pupils, head teacher, and other education stakeholder. Groups who where socially excluded primary education access were identified as orphans, pupils from poor family, pastoral community. Factors for social exclusion were identified as economic factor (family income) and Socio- culture factors (early marriage, FGM, Parents education and cattle herding by pastoral community) and Challenges for accessing primary education were identified as cost of schooling, school infrastructure and long distance from home to school and verse versa. The study recommended to the government and other stakeholder to come with appropriate strategy to combat inequalities in education