The Impact of Primary Education Investments on Rural Livelihood in Tanzania. A Case of Kilombero District

Abstract

Aims: This study explores the impact of primary education investments on rural livelihood in Kilombero district in Tanzania. The role that education initiated in the development of the rural community. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in the Kilombero district which is one of the districts in the Morogoro Region; the study was conducted in Miwangani village in the Ifakara ward. Methodology: This study was involved 100 respondents as a sample size whereby 50 respondents were drawn from each village that is miwangani and Mpotu villages. Results: The main findings indicate that the majority (69%) of the respondents claimed that primary education was free this was justified by the number of items that they used to pay for before the implementation of the free education policy. The outcomes also showed that the free education policy had a major impact on the livelihood of the people as (88%) of the respondents agreed that free education helped to reduce social crimes for the children who were supposed to be at school before the abolition of the fees. The study showed that 77% agreed that free education policy helps rural households to invest in other economic production and about 68% approved those rural households to the access to land for agricultural activities. Conclusion: This study indicated the contribution of the education primary education programs initiated by the government. Therefore, the contribution can be drawn from various training programs which have been gradually started to build the capacity of the local people to engage in the education process.  In the studied population, it has been observed through interviews and observation that it has improved their standard of living through better houses, diversifying their incomes with shops and glossaries around Ifakara. The sustainability of Tanzania’s education policies and programs is also debatable because the community has been raised more dependably.