An Analysis of the Factors Influencing Demand for Education in Tanzania

The concern over the participation of children in education is a global issue, as some children do not attend school for various reasons. In light of the growing proportion of children leaving the education system in Tanzania, the paper examines the factors that influence decisions to withdraw from educational systems. Given the strong correlation between economic development and education, this growing phenomenon is particularly problematic for Tanzania’s development priorities and ambitions as per Vision 2050. The study engaged with community members, educational experts, teachers and children, to get insights of the factors that contribute to children leaving the education system before they complete their cycle. The paper utilises an inductive approach and qualitative Case study approach, supported by a critical relational lens, to explore this trend in the Mara region, North Tanzania. The findings identify economic barriers; market-based needs; and socio-cultural factors as key drivers influencing who is encouraged to attend, why, and to what degree. The paper argues that daily life, modes of material production, and rigid social structures underpin systems of extractive and transactional social relations leading to high male and female non-progression rates at different stages in the academic progression cycle.