Interventions that Increase Enrolment of Women in Higher Education: The University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

Gender equality and equity has long been a focus area in Tanzanian government, encouraging the increased recruitment of female students in to higher education. This article investigates the effectiveness of affirmative action policy interventions that introduced and designed to increase female students' enrolment at the University of Dar es Salaam. The study based on the data obtained from University of Dar es Salaam records and report, documentary of key policies, online articles, publications and ministry of higher education website. Using the case of the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) was justified by, is the oldest and largest institution of higher education in Tanzania that has a large in terms population and offers a verity of disciplines in both science and Humanities. The findings from this study reveal that affirmative action policy interventions have positive effect towards increasing recruitment female students at the University of Dar es salaam. However the date shows that the number of female students is still low in Sciences and Engineering disciplines compared to that of their male peers. This suggests that men dominated all specializations in the faculty of science.

Keywords: Gender equity, Access to high education, Affirmative action