This study aimed at probing the role of educational planning in ensuring quality education of Morogoro Municipality in Tanzania. Its specific objectives were to: highlight educational planning approaches; find out the contribution(s) of educational planning to quality education and to determine the challenges facing educational planning in ensuring quality education. Adams’ interactive and rational models of educational planning served as a frame of reference for this study. The study adopted the survey research design. Data collection instruments consisted of questionnaires, interview and document review. Quantitative data was analyzed through SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) while qualitative data was subjected to content analysis for discussion. The study consisted of 40 participants for quantitative data and 6 participants for qualitative data. Whereas academic masters/mistresses and head teachers were purposively selected, teachers were randomly sampled. The findings of this study, unveiled that Tanzania employs the Social Demand Approach (SDA) of educational planning. Quality education indicators were presented as evidence of the role played by educational planning in ensuring quality. It was found that form IV students’ academic performance significantly improved as evidenced by NECTA (National Examinations Council of Tanzania) results from 2016 to 2020. Other quality indicators reported were, teachers’ qualifications, student-teacher ratios, infrastructure, teaching and learning materials and conducive learning environment. Despite academic improvement indicating better quality of education there were still some challenges to quality-oriented educational planning. The challenges highlighted were inadequate funding, insufficient laboratory equipment, low salaries, political interventions, parental indifference and shortage of science teachers. Planners are therefore urged to deconstruct and reconstruct educational planning so as to facilitate constructive resolutions to these challenges at grassroots level. In addition to allocation of educational funds to schools accordingly, increased involvement of teachers in educational planning is recommended. Prospective research on participatory educational planning for holistic quality education is encouraged.

This article assesses the role of mixed cropping in response to climate change in Manyoni district, Tanzania. The study adopted a mixed research design where quantitative and qualitative research approaches were used. Simple random and purposive sampling were used to select respondents for the study. Household survey, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, observation and document review methods were used to collect data. The household survey included 362 heads of households. Data on rainfall and temperature was collected from the Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA), while linear analysis was used to determine the trends of rainfall and temperature. The findings revealed that about 80.9% of the households engaged in farming perceived climate change through the decrease in rainfall, and 88.7% perceived it through the increase in temperature. The study found that mixed cropping is still a practical farming system in response to climate change due to various potentials associated with it, including: crop insurance, improvement of soil fertility, assurance of crop production, and minimization of pests and diseases that attack crops. The findings also revealed that not all farmers were practicing the mixed crop farming system due to various impediments, such as the impact of Western farming knowledge, and the lack of education and information about the usefulness of mixed cropping in response to climate change. The study concludes that mixed cropping as a traditional farming system is still viable, appropriate and a game-changer in dealing with climate change. Thus, it is recommended that collective strategies to promote mixed cropping as a traditional farming system be sustained to increase crop production.

This paper assesses how access to and use of agricultural information contributes to adaptation by smallholder farmers to climate change in Iringa Rural District, Tanzania. Specific objectives of this study were to examine types and sources of agricultural information, to explore the use of agricultural information in climate change adaptation, and to delineate factors affecting farmers’ access to and use of agricultural information for climate change adaptation. The study used a mixed research approach and a sample of 87 heads of household was studied. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions, household survey and field observation were used to collect data. SPSS software was used to analyse quantitative data while content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data. The study has revealed that mass media is the most source of agricultural information used by smallholder farmers, followed by person-to-person interactions between farmers. These sources provide agricultural information that covers proper farming practices, the use of affordable farm implements, soil conservation methods, and use of improved seed varieties. Furthermore, the findings have revealed that a language barrier, unfavourably scheduled radio and television programmes, and insufficient budget to agricultural extension officers are factors affecting farmers’ use of agricultural information. Therefore, smallholder farmers’ ability to respond to climate change is largely dependent on access to and use of agricultural information. Consequent to the findings, it is recommended that collective efforts between the government and other stakeholders to ensure smallholder farmers’ access to and use of agricultural information for climate change adaptation should be strengthened.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) on academic performance in mastering reading, writing, and arithmetic competencies in public primary schools in Morogoro Municipality. The study targeted 62 public primary schools in the municipality, in which a total of 5 schools were sampled for the study. A descriptive survey design was used as the research design for the study. Interviews and documentary reviews were used in collecting data for the study. Interviews were conducted with the municipal primary education officer in charge, all head teachers, and all standard four teachers. Documentary reviews were done on Standard Four National Assessment and analysis reports and documents concerning the number of teachers and pupils in sampled schools. Piloting study of the research instruments was conducted prior to the actual data collection to determine the validity and reliability of the tools. The data collected were analysed descriptively. The finding of this study revealed that PTR significantly influences the performance of pupils in standard four-nation assessments and in mastering reading, writing, and arithmetic competencies. The study recommended that all education sector stakeholders pay adequate attention to PTR since it affects the performance of pupils in primary schools. The study recommended the government employ more teachers to lower PTR and ease teacher workload. Also, the government through the MoEST and PO-RALG should undertake a balancing of employed teachers throughout the country to ensure equity in teacher distribution thus bringing down PTR in those schools which have high PTR and reducing teachers in those schools that have been overstaffed. Furthermore, the government should review education acts to empower head teachers to admit pupils on the basis of PTR in the respective schools

This paper explored the impact of the Transforming Tanzania Charcoal Sector Project (TTCSP), on the sustainability of Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) in Kilosa District, using the Ihombwe CBFM as a case study. The study used a qualitative research design. A sample of 47 participants was used to collect data. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select participants. Data were collected through document reviews, in-depth interviews, focused group discussions and observation. Thematic analysis was used in data analysis. The findings showed that the project has implemented several activities such as capacity building to village institutions, supporting the village land use plan, village resources assessment, and forest harvest plans, training charcoal producers and timber processing groups on modern techniques. Moreover, the Project supported the construction and furnishing of the village office and the development of village by-laws. Furthermore, the Project has strengthened the operationalization CBFM as well as the introduction of a sustainable forest harvest management model. The Ihombwe CBFM has been formalized and made able to generate significant income from forest products such as charcoal and timber. After all these initiatives, deforestation was perceived to decrease thus, ensuring the sustainability of the community forest.