Working To Educate

Notwithstanding Tanzania's poor economic situation, education and the promotion of literacy is an important priority. Primary and secondary education, both public and private, are the responsibility of the Government Ministry and/or the Church. However, neither institution has the economic resources to adequately improve the current system and its resources.

Education is divided into primary and secondary systems, which together amount to 13 years. Primary education, which lasts for seven years, is free and compulsory, however families are required to pay for mandatory school uniforms and school supplies. In many classrooms we visited, children have no books, only a single piece of paper, and old Coke bottle tops are tools used to learn counting.

Secondary education lasts for six years, and students must pay fees to attend secondary school. Because there are few secondary schools in Tanzania, many students must walk long distances to arrive at school on time. In talking with some of the faculty and female students at the schools we visited, I learned that many young girls are vulnerable to abuse while walking to or from school. Moreover, if a young girl becomes pregnant, no matter the situation under which the pregnancy occurred, she is immediately expelled from school. Two of the secondary schools that we visited are working to address this problem by constructing dormitories on the school grounds in order to safeguard female students.

Students are also expected to be polite to their teachers. At the beginning of each day, when the teacher enters the classroom, the students stand and greet the teacher respectfully. As I entered each classroom, the students stood, placed a thumb on their forehead (a gesture of which I still don't know the meaning), and in one voice said, "Good morning Visitor!" Most impressive is that you can hear a pin drop all while the teacher is speaking!!

Referral hospitals provide the best medical care, however, there are only four serving a population of more than 30 million. Harsh economic conditions have made it difficult for the government to provide better health care services, and because inflation has drastically reduced the incomes of people in both urban and rural areas, they are unable to afford the cost of treatment ($4.00 USD per visit).

The most common illnesses that afflict the people are malaria, a disease carried by mosquitoes, as well as measles, cholera and tuberculosis, each of which are due to malnutrition, inadequate immunization, lack of essential drugs, and contaminated water supplies. At the Rwambaizi Health Center, I met a young child suffering from severe dehydration induced by acute diarrhea. The Center did not have an antibiotic or other medication to fight against the organism causing his illness, and had only a small supply of rehydration solution. The number of children who die from easily treatable illnesses is staggering. At another facility, we spoke with a Danish medical student who had completed her first of a three-month internship. She described that the most difficult and frustrating experiences she encounters are emergency surgeries or difficult labors because of the lack of access to anesthesia. "Patients are essentially given something hard to bite on, and their pain and emotional distress is overwhelming."

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