More than 25 master’s program students from University of Dar es Salaam College of Education (DUCE) have expressed their interest to use Uwezo Tanzania Assessment findings/data when writing their Academic papers or research reports.
The request was made by students themselves during the visit at Uwezo Tanzania Office in Dar Es Salaam City, on 2nd March 2021. Uwezo Tanzania in collaboration with Dar-es-salaam University College of Education (DUCE) conducted an Education seminar to share experience on evidence based policy analysis and influence to improve performance of Education Sector. Uwezo had an opportunity to share learning assessment data generated by citizen volunteers to measure literacy and numeracy competencies of children aged 6-16 years, as well as the experience on education interventions such as Jifunze/TaRL and Community Extended feedback.
Speaking during the seminar one student on behalf of others said, “This is one of the best education seminar I have ever attended. Uwezo data are very insightful especially in analysing the impact of education policy and teaching practice. We will appreciate if you can allow students to use Uwezo data for their academic writings”.
Another student said, “I think the government should adapt the Uwezo Jifunze Initiative, and fund the scaling up of the intervention countrywide to ensure no child will complete primary school without obtaining reading and numeracy skills.
“Also, the government should learn from Uwezo face to face approach of assessing actual ability of children in literacy and numeracy than relying on multiple choice exams where sometimes children can just apply try and error technique and get the correct response.
Moreover; speaking during the session, one of the lecturers who accompanied students to visit Uwezo Tanzania Dr. Joeli Kayombo said he has been following up on Uwezo activities and has been using Uwezo assessment findings in his teaching at the college and encouraging his students to use Uwezo data on their academic writing.
“I remember in one of my paper when I was undertaking my PhD studies, I had also used Uwezo Assessment findings. Uwezo is one of the trusted source of useful data that is relevant to our academic work “, he said.
In responding to students’ questions, Uwezo Tanzania Executive Director, Zaida Mgalla told the students that, they are free to use Uwezo data and if anyone needs more data/information he/she should contact Uwezo Tanzania any time for immediate support.
The seminar was closed with hope and commitment from both sides to continue the collaboration and support students to have access to Uwezo data for their own learning purposes, but also to influence Ministry of education to mainstream Jifunze/TaRL in the pre- service teacher training. That will ensure that new teacher employees are equipped with new transformative teaching techniques that will help them to support many children who are struggling in reading and doing numeracy.