Estructura Guía Didáctica

6.3.4.1 Radio Study Groups

Considering the above-mentioned experiences, listening-group pilot projects were initiated at an experimental stage in 1967. Then, the Co-operative Education Centre (CEC), which had been established in 1964, planned to give courses on the work of co-operatives. But the staff of CEC faced one major problem:

„The majority of village-level Tanzanian co-operators have had no formal schooling, and therefore printed materials could only be used through literate members of co-operative groups reading them aloud to their illiterate

colleagues. The CEC decided to support and enliven these courses by radio programmes which presented the essential ideas and information in an oral form.“ (Hall, Dodds 1974, p. 10)

As a result, it was concluded that a combination of radio series, printed material, and study groups would be used in the subsequent courses „Working of Co-operative Societies” (1967) and „Work of Committees” (1968). The role of radio was both formal and functional. The functional element consisted in providing a central core of information throughout the study period and to ensure that even those who did not attend the groups picked up at least some of the information provided. The formal role was not less important: the use of radio imparted a national status to the campaign which was not easy to attain otherwise (cf. Katz, Wedell, et al. 1978, p. 135). Each of the 51 programmes was supplemented by a discussion manual covering the main aspects of the broadcasts. Altogether, 400 groups participated in one of the courses offered (cf. Mwaffisi 1985, p. 72).

Later in 1967, the Institute of Adult Education (IAE), which was also founded in 1964, created a scheme to combine a series of broadcasts for a test group of listeners in the Mbeya region with direction and control on the spot of the IAE. A total number of 15 listening groups were provided with the following programmes (cf. Welsh 1968, p. 127):

• „Agricultural Extension”: Broadcasts relevant specifically for the region and for all levels of listeners;

• „English at Work”: English-language course for primary school leavers whose content was completely oriented towards village-life realities;

• „Government in Tanzania”: Instructions in politics for secondary school leavers stationed as government officers or party officials in the rural areas.

In 1968, IAE and CEC exchanged their experiences, and, as a result, they concluded to maintain a close collaboration. Even in the same year, RTD established an Adult Education Advisory Committee which consisted of members from the radio station itself, IAE, CEC, Kivukoni College, the army, the traffic police, the National Agricultural Products Board, and the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, and Rural Development. Furthermore, IAE installed a separate Mass Media Department (cf. Hall, Dodds 1974, pp. 11 - 12).

Following the guidelines of Tanzania’s Second Five Year Plan covering the period from July 1^st 1969 to June 30^th 1974, in which the country’s economy was

regarded as an important mechanism for the political and educative development, IAE and CEC tried to implement the most important issues of the plan in their campaigns of 1969. CEC gave a course on „Basic Economy” in which more than 150 groups were enrolled, and IAE set up the first campaign entirely carried out in Swahili, „Kupanga ni Kuchagua” (The Plan is to Choose), which comprised 60 groups and dealt with the major questions of the Five Year Plan (cf. Kuhanga 1974, p. 96). But both radio programmes failed to give sufficient guidance to the groups to enable them to find local examples of the generalised facts of the development plan. Consequently, they did not succeed in stimulating realistic discussions (cf. ibid., pp. 12 - 13).

The years 1970 and 1971 were declared „Adult Education Years“. On the occasion of their opening, President Nyerere explained:

„First we must educate adults. Our children will not have any impact on our economic development five, ten years or even twenty years. The attitude of adults on the other have an impact on the economic and social development. Only if they are able to do this, will this plan succeed.“

(Quoted from Magayane 1988, p. 92)

Subsequently, further radio courses were planned on a larger scale. In 1970, the first nation-wide campaign, „Uchaguzi ni Wako” (The Choice is Yours), was carried out. Focusing on Tanzania’s general elections, it was considered an attempt to use various educational techniques to arouse civic interest in an event of immense political importance. For the first time, a campaign was really well-prepared. The study group leaders, who were usually heads of a cell or other local authorities, had been trained ahead, and the meetings were well-organised.

The teaching method again combined written materials (booklet, study guide), radio series, and group listenings to the programmes succeeded by discussions.

Altogether, 163 groups were engaged in the campaign (cf. Hall, Dodds 1974, p.

14; Kuhanga 1974, p. 97).

From the viewpoint of educational methodology, „Uchaguzi ni Wako” revealed several interesting results. First, it suceeded in reaching people in nearly all areas of the country by assembling small production groups able to draw on an expert opinion and, furthermore, by making use of existing organisational and communication resources. As a side-effect, this was achieved by low expenditures in comparison to any form of institutional education. Second, it brought together three methods of which each was insufficient as an educational tool by itself; but

used in combination, they lessened each other’s inadequacies (cf. Hall, Dodds 1974, pp. 23 - 24).

In 1971, the year of the 10^th anniversary of independence, another adult education project, „Wakati wa Furaha” (Time for Rejoicing), was launched:

„The feeling was that the campaign should attempt to do two things. First to create a deeper sense of national awareness; and secondly, by tracing the development of Tanzania from the distant past up until the present day, by high lighting the achievements since Independence, to give people a good reason for regarding 9^th of December as ‘a time for rejoicing.’“ (Hall, Dodds 1974, p. 25)

The campaign became a great success. Discussion groups comprising a total of 20,000 members were established all over the country, and the broadcasts reached the intended audience. Tests pointed out that the learning effects were fairly impressing. Notwithstanding, „Wakati wa Furaha” showed also some deficits. The delay in the distribution of textbooks and study guides was serious.

Over 50 % of the district adult education officers reported that they had not received their copies in time for the start of the campaign. Moreover, supervision of groups was inadequately organised (cf. ibid., p. 34).

Then, in 1973, „Mtu ni Afya” (Man is Health) was started to attain the following ends (cf. ibid., p. 36):

1 to provide information about the symptoms and prevention of specific diseases;

2 to increase awareness among individuals and encourage group actions in order to improve local health conditions;

3 to support the maintenance of newly acquired reading skills by the provision of written materials for participants who were enrolled in the national literacy campaign.

In contrast to the former projects, „Mtu ni Afya” emphasised action instead of discussion. It was designed to reach two million adults living in „Ujamaa villages”

and districts engaged in the literacy programme of 1971. This resulted in the training of 75,000 group leaders and the printing of two million study textbooks comprising 48 pages each. In addition, 50,000 metres of textile material carrying the campaign symbol were manufactured for the production of traditional clothings, such as Kanga and Kitenge. The propagation of „Mtu ni Afya” became well-rounded by the usage of several posters (cf. Ng’wanakilala 1981, p. 84).

Radio broadcasts were transmitted twice a week for a period totalling 12 weeks.

The effects of the project were amazing. Knowledge about vital health practices increased by an average of 20 %, and 700,000 pit latrines were built all over the country (cf. Hall, Dodds 1974, p. 49; Kunczik 1985, p. 104). The evaluation report of the campaign recounted:

„After discussion with various ministries, organisations and individuals about what subject might be suitable and what support might be available nationally, the subject of health education was decided upon. The reasoning for this (...) centered around the fact that the growing number of hospitals and dispensaries are able to provide better but still far from adequate curative medical facilities. Furthermore, though the incidence of some of the most dreaded diseases, such as leprosy and smallpox, had been reduced to manageable proportions in Tanzania, there remain those less dramatic diseases which probably constitute the most serious handicap to human happiness and the social and economic development of the country.“ (Hall, B. L.; Zikambona, C. [1974]: Mtu ni Afya: An Evaluation of the 1973 Mass Health Education Campaign in Tanzania. Dar es Salaam, pp. 12 - 13.

Quoted from Katz, Wedell, et al. 1978, p. 134)

Ng’wanakilala (cf. 1981, p. 87) conducted a survey on the impacts of „Mtu ni Afya” in the villages of Bahi (355 households) and Umoja - Bwawani (328 households) and registered an impressive change of habits among the people living there:

Table 16: Effects of „Mtu ni Afya” in the Villages of Bahi and Umoja - Bwawani

Village → Bahi Umoja - Bwawani

„Mtu ni Afya” was succeeded by „Chakula ni Uhai” (Food is Life). Started in 1975, the campaign focused on nutrition and tried to teach methods of increasing

and preserving food production. Moreover, an increase in the level of functional literacy was intended. It is estimated, that this time even more than two million participants were enrolled in 75,000 study groups. Again, 50,000 metres of textile material, two million textbooks, and various posters were produced (cf. ibid., p.

85).

In spite of the great successes achieved by the campaigns, which had among others led to a decrease in the nation-wide illiteracy rate from 70 % to 30 %, the scheme was given up after „Chakula ni Uhai”. From 1976 onwards, RTD transmitted adult education programmes on annual topics issued by the party, which mostly were adopted from those declared by the UN General Assembly the previous year. But in spite of all efforts, the broadcasts have not been able to achieve similiar results as the campaigns just described (cf. Mwaffisi 1984, p. 74).