Secondary Education Attainment and Social Economic Transformation in Rural Tanzania:Observations from Livelihood Strategies of Primary and Secondary Education Graduates in Mvomero District.

Abstract

This paper examines the influence of secondary education in promoting; health awareness, gender awareness and civic awareness. The study sought to assess whether the education policy which considers secondary education as the key instrument in bringing social and economic transformation has been reflected in graduates’ livelihood strategies once they graduate and go back to the societies. The study was conducted in Mvomero district in Tanzania. Quantitative methods were used to assess the relationship between education attainment and one’s social economic awareness. Stratified sampling was employed to get the two strata namely secondary education graduates and primary education both working in informal sectors. Systematic sampling   was then used to select the participants from each stratum. The sample comprised of 170 secondary education graduates and 170 primary education graduates making a total of 340 respondents. The data were analyzed by SPSS and Man Whitney U test in particular. The result for the study shows education to have negligible impact in influencing livelihood strategies to graduates as there is no notable difference between Primary and secondary education graduates. The study suggests the ministry of education, policy makers and policy implementers to work together so as to bring about positive results which could reflect the policy statements and manifestations.

Keywords: Secondary education; social economic transformation, livelihood strategies, Mvomero district.