Tanzania moves to put schools under local govt

[nngu007]

By MIKE MANDE The EastAfrican

Posted Saturday, March 30 2013 at 21:55
IN SUMMARY

• Among the changes — contained in the budget for the next financial year — is a proposal to place schools under local government authorities.
• Under the envisaged reforms, the local authorities will be allocated funds to pay for tuition and meals for schoolchildren.
• The EastAfrican has learnt that the first component of the budget will cover examination expenses, higher education students’ loans, schools with special needs, capitation grants and school meals.

Tanzania, stung by the recently reported mass failures in the O-level examinations, is planning major reforms in its education system.

Among the changes — contained in the budget for the next financial year — is a proposal to place schools under local government authorities.

This, according to experts, will cut the current red tape associated with control by the central government and simplify management of the education sector.

Under the envisaged reforms, the local authorities will be allocated funds to pay for tuition and meals for schoolchildren.

The government will allocate a capitation grant for primary schools at an average of Tsh10,000 ($6) per enrolled pupil — including pre-primary pupils and those in special day schools — per year.

For secondary schools, the government will allocate an average of Tsh20,000 ($12) per year for each student enrolled in a day school.

For meals, the government is expected to allocate an average of Tsh405,000 ($250) per year for every child enrolled in registered boarding schools, both primary and secondary.

The local authorities will also be tasked with collecting school fees for each student.

The EastAfrican has learnt that the first component of the budget will cover examination expenses, higher education students’ loans, schools with special needs, capitation grants and school meals.

There will also be the preparation of a realistic budget and allocation of resources for primary school examinations for Standard Four and Seven as well as secondary school examinations for Form Two, Four and Six.

In addition, and in line with the cost-sharing arrangement, the local governments have been given the responsibility of collecting Tsh20,000 ($12) and Tsh70,000 ($43) from each student enrolled in day and boarding secondary schools, respectively, and this shall form part of the capitation fund as council’s own sources to be spent on secondary education.

The 2013/2014 budget, to be presented by Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Dr William Mgimwa, will focus on fostering energy, transport, agriculture, oil and gas, education and resource mobilisation.

All departments will be mandated to use existing ICT infrastructure such as website and e-mail as official communication to retrieve and disseminate information as a means to reduce unnecessary expenditure.

In order to strengthen efforts to create more jobs for the youths, the government will invigorate employment and economic empowerment Funds in fiscal year 2013/14 so as to provide capital for the youths to establish more micro-enterprises to boost incomes and job creation.

Venture capital sources are expecting provisions in the budget that affect the sector. One said: “The stability of the taxation system is what concerns the big firms.”

Measures to encourage VC firms to maintain their investments in businesses through several stages of growth are expected, possibly through scalable tax relief based on the duration of their investments.

In its 2011 budget submission, the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, the industry’s national trade body, urged the government to appoint a “venture czar” to champion the industry and reform taxation relief regimes for venture capital trusts.

 

[Kanundu]

By MIKE MANDE The EastAfrican

Posted Saturday, March 30 2013 at 21:55
IN SUMMARY

• Among the changes - contained in the budget for the next financial year - is a proposal to place schools under local government authorities.
• Under the envisaged reforms, the local authorities will be allocated funds to pay for tuition and meals for schoolchildren.
• The EastAfrican has learnt that the first component of the budget will cover examination expenses, higher education students' loans, schools with special needs, capitation grants and school meals.

Tanzania, stung by the recently reported mass failures in the O-level examinations, is planning major reforms in its education system.

Among the changes - contained in the budget for the next financial year - is a proposal to place schools under local government authorities.

This, according to experts, will cut the current red tape associated with control by the central government and simplify management of the education sector.

Under the envisaged reforms, the local authorities will be allocated funds to pay for tuition and meals for schoolchildren.

The government will allocate a capitation grant for primary schools at an average of Tsh10,000 ($6) per enrolled pupil - including pre-primary pupils and those in special day schools - per year.

For secondary schools, the government will allocate an average of Tsh20,000 ($12) per year for each student enrolled in a day school.

For meals, the government is expected to allocate an average of Tsh405,000 ($250) per year for every child enrolled in registered boarding schools, both primary and secondary.

The local authorities will also be tasked with collecting school fees for each student.

The EastAfrican has learnt that the first component of the budget will cover examination expenses, higher education students' loans, schools with special needs, capitation grants and school meals.

There will also be the preparation of a realistic budget and allocation of resources for primary school examinations for Standard Four and Seven as well as secondary school examinations for Form Two, Four and Six.

In addition, and in line with the cost-sharing arrangement, the local governments have been given the responsibility of collecting Tsh20,000 ($12) and Tsh70,000 ($43) from each student enrolled in day and boarding secondary schools, respectively, and this shall form part of the capitation fund as council's own sources to be spent on secondary education.

The 2013/2014 budget, to be presented by Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Dr William Mgimwa, will focus on fostering energy, transport, agriculture, oil and gas, education and resource mobilisation.

All departments will be mandated to use existing ICT infrastructure such as website and e-mail as official communication to retrieve and disseminate information as a means to reduce unnecessary expenditure.

In order to strengthen efforts to create more jobs for the youths, the government will invigorate employment and economic empowerment Funds in fiscal year 2013/14 so as to provide capital for the youths to establish more micro-enterprises to boost incomes and job creation.

Venture capital sources are expecting provisions in the budget that affect the sector. One said: "The stability of the taxation system is what concerns the big firms."

Measures to encourage VC firms to maintain their investments in businesses through several stages of growth are expected, possibly through scalable tax relief based on the duration of their investments.

In its 2011 budget submission, the British Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, the industry's national trade body, urged the government to appoint a "venture czar" to champion the industry and reform taxation relief regimes for venture capital trusts.

Wana waongezea MCHWA wa Halimashauri za Wilaya ulaji!!! Hapo watakula hadi paa la nyumba. Na hivyo hizo H/shauri zimeshindwa kukusanya ushuru, hapo ndiyo basi tena. Maana waheshimiwa Madiwani kila kukicha itakuwa ni vikao vinavyo jadili agenda moja kwa siku mbili.