This article offers a critical examination of the main characteristics of the non-state secondary school education sector in Tanzania. It discusses the issues involved in the financing and unit costs of running these "private" secondary schools. Particular emphasis is places on the sources of revenue for these schools. In the article it is shown that the non-state secondary education sector tends to introduce inequalities in the process of seeking to achieve efficiency and sustainability. Geographic, socio-economic and gender imbalances in the society are shown to be reinforced by the emerging non-governmental secondary school system which itself is shown to be divided between high quality and low quality sub-systems. Inequalities among religious groups and those between rural and urban areas are also shown to be reinforced by the "private" secondary school system. The wide differences in the expenses incurred in running boarding schools as opposed to day schools also reinforces gender inequalities. Most non-state schools are day as opposed to boarding schools which offer a more conducive environment for the education of girls. Where a non-state school is a boarding institution the article shows that such a school is likely to be a seminary for boys.
Read
