Strategies Used by the Institute of Adult Education to Promote Gender Balance in Tanzania

Abstract

The study explored Strategies used by the Institute of Adult Education to promote gender balance in Tanzania. This study employed a qualitative research approach, guided by a phenomenological research design. The target population were adult learners, lecturers and Resident tutors from the Institute of Adult Education. The study employed 20 respondents sampled from the Kinondoni centre. The sample involved 15 adult learners, 4 lecturers and 1 Resident Tutor. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analysed thematically as well as manually. A summary and direct quotations from the participants focusing on the objectives were provided. The researcher identified several strategies employed by the Institute of Adult Education to promote gender balance, including treating all genders equally and presenting features that are similar to those of female learners. The study also established that the Institute of Adult Education established a gender unit, a 50:50 enrolment policy, gender programmes, plans and activities toward gender balance. It concluded that appropriate learning strategies would benefit learners based on their characteristics. The study further recommended a need to devise a mechanism to ensure that gender is promoted at the Institute of Adult Education ensure a balance between male and female learners in various programmes. Moreover, the government should consider an employment policy that is gender sensitive to ensure that members of academic staff are employed with much consideration of gender to avoid male dominance.