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Contribution of Education Policy Reforms towards Gender Dynamics and the Formalization of Domestic-work Sector: A Case of Mafinga Town Council, Tanzania
Get PDFCurrently, Tanzania is experiencing the policy of free education up to secondary school level. On the other hand, in Tanzania, domestic work is one of the sectors with the highest share of informal employment. However, after the introduction of free education policy up to form four, the availability of domestic workers is declining whereas the formalization of the domestic sector is persisting. It is against this background, this study aimed at analyzing the influence of the current educational policy towards the formalization of domestic sector in Mafinga town. The study was qualitative in nature whereby 30 domestic workers, 10 employers and 5 individuals from workers’ union were interviewed in the study area. The study found that the new education policy has contributed towards the increase of the age to domestic sector from 12 years to 17 years; and the number of daily routine workers has increased as opposed to residential workers. Besides, domestic works currently involves both males and females; there is the increase of the middle men to facilitate the availability of domestic workers. Due to education awareness, domestic workers are now demanding their rights including the vacation from their employers and increase of salary. In addition, there is scarcity of domestic workers that has led to the mushrooming of daycare centres. However, domestic workers faced an unlimited number of challenges including overworking with low wages, delayed payments, harsh working climates as well as low social recognition. The study hereby recommends for the improvement in the education sector among school-age females in order to minimize their involvement in the informal sectors as domestic sectors
Effect of Borrower Qualities on Business Performance of Rural Based SMEs in Kagera Region, Tanzania
Get PDFThe objective of the study was to assess the impact of Borrower’s qualities on business performance of rural-based SMEs in Kagera region Tanzania. The Study was guided by the theory of the Group Based Micro-financing (GBM) model. It was done in four districts of Kagera region. The study used structured questionnaires composed of a five-point Likert Scale. The quantitative and regression research approach was adopted for the study. A sample size of 279 group borrowers of two commercial banks and two MFIs was used to collect primary data from June to August 2020. The regression analysis was done between three independent variables of Borrower’s qualities against three dependent variables of Business performance. It was found that 98.5 percent, 96.4 percent and 96.0 percent of respondents agreed to have increased knowledge, family income and household assets, respectively. On the other hand, the hypothesis testing confirmed that Borrower’s qualities impacted positively on the business performance of rural-based SMEs in Kagera region. These results imply that Borrower’s qualities under GBM model have a big positive contribution to the business performance of rural-based SMEs. It is therefore recommended that they should be adopted and promoted as a tool for fighting poverty as a result of increasing borrowers’ abilities to engage in prosperous income-generating businesses
Effectiveness of Exemption Measure in Providing Healthcare Services among Old People in Tanzania: The case of Kasulu District
Get PDFThe study aimed at assessing effectiveness of exemption measure in providing healthcare services for old people in public hospitals in Tanzania. The study was conducted in rural and urban areas of Kasulu district in Kigoma using cross sectional descriptive research design. The total number of respondents engaged in this study was 323. These included 304 old people, four medical doctors, eight nurses, one district medical officer and six social workers. Data were collected by using questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion, observation and documentary review. Qualitative data was analyzed by using thematic method while quantitative data were analyzed by using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to obtain frequencies, percentages and statistical measures for triangulation purposes. Study findings revealed that exemption measure was partially implemented and less effective. Healthcare services in public hospitals were not easily accessible for old people under exemption measure. The major challenges affecting exemption measure is lack of essential medicine, bureaucratic procedures in executing exemption process and unofficial payments. The study hereby recommends that the government should enact law to enforce implementation of exemption and increase budget allocation to the health sector so as to increase availability of medicine and diagnostic instruments in public hospitals. Further, since the scope of the study was limited to Kasulu district; there is a need to conduct country survey to assess effectiveness of exemption measure in providing healthcare services for old people in Tanzania
Refugee Food Security Perceptions on Food Rationing Practices in Refugees Camp in Western Tanzania
Get PDFThis paper is based on the study on perception of refugees on food availability, accessibility, and utilization, forms of food rations. It assesses coping strategies
on reduced food rationing and food security for refugee in Nyarugusu Refugee
Camp in Kasulu district, Kigoma region in Western Tanzania. Data collection involved a total of 395 refugee households in the study area who were interviewed using structured questionnaires. The collected data were processed and analysed using SPSS software in which descriptive statistics, mainly frequencies were produced and the results presented in bar charts. The study revealed that, the common form of food rationing in practice was in-kind food ration, the most preferred form was a combination of both In-kind food ration and Cash. It was also revealed that the existing food aid ration was not satisfactory for family use. The food prices in the camp market were not affordable for the family food consumption especially for the majority with low incomes compounded with large families. As a result, upon receiving rationed food they partly sold it in order to get cash which they used to buy other basic goods in the market; or simply exchanged goods in- kind in order to meet human wants
Moderating Role of Age in the Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment among Employees of a Special Mission Organization in Rwanda
Get PDFThe study assessed the role of age in the relationship between employees’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment among employees of a special mission organization in Rwanda. A cross-sectional survey design (N = 119) was used. The Hayes’ process macro v.3.5 (Model 1) was chosen over the ordinary least square techniques to run the moderation analysis. Job satisfaction was found to have a significant and positive effect on continuance and normative commitment, but a had significant negative effect on affective commitment. Age significantly positively affected overall organizational commitment, continuance and normative commitment. Age further significantly moderated the relationship between job satisfaction and overall organizational commitment, continuance and normative commitment but not affective commitment. The relationships were significant and positive for the younger employees but positive and insignificant for the older employees. The results implied that for the organization to enhance employees’ commitment overall, the management should adopt measures that enhance job satisfaction among younger employees
Components of Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge Associated with Children’s Acquisition of Kiswahili Pre-reading Skills in Rural Tanzania
Get PDFThis study examined the components of teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge associated with children’s acquisition of Kiswahili pre-reading skills in high and low performing rural public schools, Tanzania. Stratified random sampling and purposive sampling were used to obtain 175 participants. Questionnaire, observation, semi-structured interview, documentary review, and tests were the methods employed for data collection. An independent sample t-test and thematic analyses were employed. Results indicated that teachers possessed moderate knowledge of Kiswahili pre-reading skills content but they had low pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of children’s thinking around Kiswahili pre-reading skills. Teachers limited pedagogical content knowledge was mainly associated with inadequate training in pre-primary education among others. Thus, teachers limited pedagogical content knowledge of Kiswahili pre-reading skills was associated with children’s low acquisition of Kiswahili pre-reading skills. To maximize children’s learning outcomes, acquisition of Kiswahili pre-reading skills in particular, comprehensive pre-service and in-service training should be guaranteed to obtain qualified teachers to teach in pre-primary schools. School quality assurance monitoring mechanisms should be strengthened and they should visit pre-primary classes and monitor Kiswahili pre-reading skills teaching process so as to improve children’s acquisition of the skills
Effect of Brand Experience on Brand Loyalty: Mediating Role of Word of Mouth in the Mobile Money Service Brands
Get PDFThis study examined the relationship between brand experience and brand loyalty in the presence of word of mouth as the mediator variable. Specifically, the study examined the effect of brand experience on brand loyalty and word of mouth (WOM), determining the effect of word of mouth on brand loyalty, and determining the mediation effect of WOM in the link between brand experience and brand loyalty. The study used an explanatory research design. Random sampling was used to select a total of 299 mobile money services users. This study used a structured questionnaire to collect data. Structural equation modeling was applied for data analysis in which SmartPLS 3 was utilized. The results indicate that brand experience has a positive and significant effect on brand loyalty and WOM. The findings also revealed that WOM had a positive and significant effect on brand loyalty. It was also found out that WOM partially mediated the link between brand experience and brand loyalty. This study concluded that brand experience and WOM were predictors of brand loyalty. It was also concluded that WOM plays a mediating role in the link between brand experience and brand loyalty. Thus, this paper recommended that mobile money network operators (MNOs) should provide a unique experience on every consumer-brand touch-point and devise strategies that would promote WOM recommendations that in turn would generate loyalty
Impacts of Reciprocal Teaching Technique on Academic Achievement of Students in Office Practice in Colleges of Education, Kwara State, Nigeria
Get PDFThe study investigates the impacts of reciprocal teaching techniques on the academic achievement of students in Office practice in Kwara State, colleges of education, Nigeria. Two research questions were raised and answered while two hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance. The population of the study was 200 level of Office practice students in colleges of education, Kwara state, Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample of 138 students who were grouped into treatment and control. The data were collected through programmed material (modules) for Office Practice which was divided into weeks, and Office Practice Achievement Test (OPAT) developed by researchers. The ANCOVA statistical tool was used to test the two hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The results showed that the reciprocal teaching technique improves students’ academic performance. It was recommended that Business educators should use reciprocal teaching techniques for teaching effectiveness and enhanced academic performance
Contribution of Education Policy Reforms Towards Gender Dynamics and the Formalization of Domestic-work Sector: A Case of Mafinga Town Council, Tanzania
Get PDFCurrently, Tanzania is experiencing the policy of free education up to secondary school level. On the other hand, in Tanzania, domestic work is one of the sectors with the highest share of informal employment. However, after the introduction of free education policy up to form four, the availability of domestic workers has became somehow difficult whereas the formalization of the domestic sector has also gained paceThis background has been a bench-mark to this study that analysed the influence of the current educational policy towards the formalization of domestic sector in Mafinga Town. The study was qualitative in nature whereby the interview of 30 domestic workers, 10 employers and 5 individuals from workers’ union was conducted. The study found out that the new education policy has contributed towards the increase of the age to domestic sector from 12 years to 17 years, the number of daily routine workers has increased as opposed to residential workers, domestic works involved both males and females, there was the increase of the middle men to facilitate the availability of domestic workers. Due to increased awareness, domestic workers were demanding their rights including the vacation from their employers and better salaries. In addition, there had been scarcity of domestic workers that has led to the mushrooming of day care centers. Needless to say, domestic workers faced unlimited number of challenges including overworking with low wages, delayed payments, harsh working climates as well as low social recognition. The study hereby recommended for the improvement in the education sector in favor of females. That would relieve domestic workers from the involvement in the informal sectors such as domestic sectors