Changing perceptions of the value of girls’ secondary education among the parents in rural Tanzania

Abstract

Parents are the key people in the family when it comes to determining the extent and type of education for their children. Within the theoretical frameworks of African feminisms, human capital theory, and the liminality theory, this paper examines the parental perceptions of the girls’ secondary education in Tanzania’s rural communities. Moreover, it determines the effects of those perceptions on the girls’ secondary schooling in rural Tanzania. Using the ethnographic research design, this qualitative study found that, although some parents perceived girls’ secondary education negatively, there were some glimmers of hope and changing attitudes among parents. The findings further indicate that there are tensions and conflicting perspectives, as some of the parents struggled to reconcile emerging beliefs about girls’ education with the existing largely conservative cultural and familial practices. This changing perception on the girls’ secondary education signals a favourable disposition towards the improvement of girls’ secondary schooling, particularly in the largely conservative rural communities.

Keywords:

• Parental perceptions
• girls’ secondary schooling
• African feminisms
• human capital theory
• liminality theory
• rural Tanzania

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the contribution of my principle supervisor, Prof. Joanne Ailwood, and co-supervisors, Dr. Margot Ford and Dr. Rachel Buchanan, for their excellent support and expert supervision throughout my PhD study at the University of Newcastle, Australia. I also thank Joseph Milinga and the anonymous reviewers for constructive comments which led to the improvement of this paper.

Disclosure statement

I declare that there is no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

The author received financial support from the University of Newcastle, Australia, which enabled author to pursue and complete his Ph.D. study in Australia.

Notes on contributors

Hassan Iddy

Dr. Hassan Iddy is a Lecturer at Mkwawa University College of Education (A Constituent College of the University of Dar es Salaam), Iringa, Tanzania. His scholarly works have centred around the notion of education as a basic human right and ensuring that the most vulnerable people can access and participate in quality education.