This paper explores the causes and effects of a unique begging style involving children as guides in Dodoma Municipality, Tanzania. The rationale for Dodoma Municipality to be the study location is that the begging phenomenon using children as guides is rampant. The study sample involved 40 respondents, of whom 6 were young carers of visually impaired adult beggars, 6 visually impaired adult beggars, 6 young carers of visually impaired adult beggars’ family members and 22 influential community members. Purposeful sampling technique was used to obtain these respondents. Data collection methods entailed interviews and observations. Artifacts were also used to portray issues under investigation more vividly. The data were analyzed using content analysis in which themes and sub-themes were determined by organization, reduction and interpretation of the information collected.   The study discovered that lack of education, sympathy attraction, lack of proper orientation, laziness and poverty were the major causes for the existence of begging involving children as guides. The study revealed that minor causes include parents’ negligence and alcoholism, Single Parenthood as well as drought and hunger. The begging style using children as guides resulted into notable limited basic education access among these vulnerable children hence a liability and not asset. The study recommends that young carers of visually impaired adult beggars should be enrolled to basic education and revitalize education for self-reliance.

This paper analysed the status of love and respect for manual work among primary and secondary school students in liberalized Tanzania. It looked at how work-oriented education in public and private primary and secondary schools is practiced in the context of liberalization and how such work-oriented skills enhance agricultural inclination among recipients. Qualitative research approach and phenomenological research designs were deemed relevant. A total of 104 participants were purposively and systematic-randomly sampled including head teachers, Education for Self-Reliance (ESR) teachers, ESR prefects, teachers (not ESR) and pupils (not ESR prefects). Data was collected using in -depth interview, FGDs, direct observations and documentary review. To achieve trustworthiness, the researcher employed a number of measures such as combination of data sources such as interviews, observations, and relevant documents. The study revealed that sweeping, watering flowers and gardens and slashing were major types of manual work that students did. Most of students felt badly, less motivated and did not cherish to do the manual works. The paper concludes that the manual works done in schools did not enhance agricultural inclination and the modality on how they were provided as punishments counteracted good intentions of their use. To link education with work, production and to enhance students’ inclination in agriculture, the paper argues for revitalization of ESR at all levels of education. Furthermore, manual work should not be provided as punishment but rather as part and parcel of students’ learning.

This study qualitatively explored the effectiveness of the strategies used by teachers in developing writing accuracy and coherence among public primary school pupils in Nantumbo District, Tanzania. It used the case study design involving the population of 736 purposefully sampled individuals including 16 teachers and 720 pupils from eight (8) schools in Namtumbo District Council. The study used classroom observation, focus group discussion, classroom continuous assessment and documentary review in data collection. Content analysis was adopted to analyses data and the findings revealed that teachers used various strategies in teaching how to write alphabetical letters including scaffolding, brief explicit lessons, alphabetic order, songs and teaching aids. It was further found out that some of these strategies such as using a talk-chalkboard strategy to teach punctuation marks were not effective to scaffold pupils and make them master writing. The study recommends teachers to use interactive strategies to enhance students’ acquisition of the writing skills.

This study examined teachers’ frequency of preparation and use of lesson plans. The study location was Igunga District of Tabora Region in Tanzania. Mixed approach and explanatory research design were used and a total of 69 respondents were sampled. Among them, 60 were teachers from four purposely selected primary schools, four were head teachers and five were school quality assurance officers. Data was collected through a questionnaire, an interview schedule and document. Analysis of data was done through the thematic approach and the descriptive statistics. The established that not all teachers prepared the lesson plans; there were those who prepared frequently, those who prepared occasionally and those who did not prepare at all.  It is also concluded that not all teachers used the prepared lesson plans in the classrooms during teaching and learning process. There were those who used lesson plans frequently, those who used lesson plans occasionally and those who did not use the lesson plans at all in the teaching and learning process. The researchers therefore recommended that teachers should be given more in service training on the preparation of lesson plans and they should be closely capacitated for them to refrain from teaching without prerequisite guiding documents including lesson plans. Head teachers as internal quality assurers and the DSQAOs as external quality assurers should closely supervise teachers to fulfill this crucial role as professional teachers.  Educational leaders at district and national levels should ensure effective preparation and use of lesson plans to teachers through close monitoring and facilitating teachers with all necessary tools for the preparation of lesson plans.