Challenges in Accessibility of Secondary School Education among Girls from Pastoral Communities in Tanzania: A case of Barbaig Tribe in Hanang District

Abstract

Access to education among girls in many societies has faced many challenges, making girls lag behind boys. However little is known about the challenges facing pastoral societies'  girls' access to schooling. Therefore, this paper shed light girls access to secondary school education in Barbaig pastoral society in Hanang District, Manyara Region. It specifically examined the challenges girls' face in accessing secondary education. The study used a cross-sectional research design and involved 210 girls from Dirma, Chief Gejaru and Mwahu secondary schools. Proportional and simple random sampling were used to obtain respondents for this study. Data were collected through interview, focus group discussion and documentary reviews. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in data analysis.The results revealed that, shortage of girls' facilities and services in schools, families' low economic status, harmful gender norms, traditions and practices, early marriage and pregnancies, parents' greediness for wealth, nomadic life style, large family size and long distance to school were some of the challenges facing Barbaig girls in accessing secondary education in Hanang District. It is recommended that the Education Department in Hanang District should implement and administer an education policy that requires every student and every school to be sufficiently provided with infrastructure and employ all the needed workers. It is also recommended  community sensitization on the importance of girls' education. This will be possible if local Authorities will actively involve and team up with other stakeholders in solving Barbaig girls' educational challenges.