Learning Outcomes and Minority Disadvantaged Groups: Observation From Naturalized Tanzanians

• In Event: 72.049 - Roundtable Session 34
  In Roundtable Session: 72.049-6 - Developing Literacy in English Language Learners

Abstract

Despite impressive progress made in universalizing basic education, children of former refugees in Tanzania face number of challenges within the mainstream educational system. This paper documents the early achievement of 300 children of naturalized refugees, rural and urban non-refugees, enrolled in early grades. Learning outcomes were measured using Swahili version of EGRA and EGMA. 45 parents and 3 head-teachers were individually interviewed.
Results indicated that naturalized refugee pupils, especially girls, performed significantly in literacy skills. Urban non-refugee pupils outperformed other groups in numeracy, and closely followed by rural refugees. The findings suggest that rural non-refugee pupils are the most educationally disadvantaged. The findings are discussed, and conclusion drawn from the perspectives of equity in low-resource country in sub-Saharan Africa

Authors

• Laurent Gabriel Ndijuye, The University of Hong Kong

• Nirmala Rao, The University of Hong Kong