Community participation as a tool for development: local community´s participation in primary education development inMorogoro, Tanzania : a case of Kilakala and Mindu primary schools

Abstract

The concepts of community participation and development become crucial topic in attaining sustainable development. Development by itself it deals with human development, therefore, the participation of the people in their own development is very essential. Education is very important tool for human liberation and development. Tanzania is one of the developing countries, which strive to achieve Universal Primary Education to meet the target of United Nation through its Development Goals. In order to achieve the target UN demand for government to involve the community/parents to improve the school development and pupilð€‚¶s enrolment rates (UNDP, 2007). This study aimed at investigates the community/local people participation in development of primary education in Tanzania. The two schools from Morogoro Municipality (Kilakala and Mindu primary schools) were taken as a case study. The study investigate general understanding of the people on community participation, the extent/level of community participation, reasons for their participation and the challenge/limitations for effective local people participation in development. The finding reveals that the community participates in development of their school such as building classrooms, teacherð€‚¶s houses, toilets, furniture in school administration. The researcher finds out that the local people contribute/participate either through paying the money or labour. The choice of the community to either pay money or labour depends on the nature of activity conducted or their social-economic situation. Despite the community participation in school development, the research discover that the participation of local people is very low as the number of people participate in development is limited. The research finds out that there a number of factors that limit effective community participation which include poverty, illiteracy and ignorance, political interferences, poor performance of the pupils, mistrust and misuse of money and lack of transparency. The researcher provide for the recommendation to improve the number of local people to participate in development and insist on the importance of education and awareness of the community on their importance to participate in development of their schools. The study demonstrated the importance of community participation in create a sense of ownership of the school by community themselves and ensuring democratic process in school administration.