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Over the past four decades, the Government of Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous region in Tanzania, has recognized the importance of family engagement in the learning and development of children in its education policies, plans, and frameworks. Yet, family engagement is often positioned as an add-on activity, rather than as a vital component embedded at all education levels—from pre-primary to secondary—and in all areas of the education system, including in the teaching and learning of academic, life, civic, and other skills. The vision of family, school, and community engagement (FSCE) in guiding education frameworks, which includes plans, policies, and guidelines, is largely concentrated on the representation of families on decision-making bodies in schools, and particularly in school management committees (SMCs) as opposed to the many other possible forms of engagement documented globally.
This siloed vision of FSCE and the lack of a comprehensive approach or vision for the role of families within these education frameworks are due to three interrelated reasons. First, there is no clear definition and vision for FSCE at the central level of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT), and consequently, education frameworks do not reflect comprehensive practices for ensuring families are centered in education policies, plans, and practices. Second, there is no unit, department, or person within MoEVT officially responsible for championing and overseeing FSCE across the basic education system, which extends from pre-primary to four years of secondary school. Third, FSCE efforts have been largely implemented through projects and when funding and programming ceases, activities slow or halt.
The purpose of this policy report is to present findings on the current state of FSCE in Zanzibar and to identify promising strategies and practices to support an integrated approach to family engagement across education levels. This report starts with a policy analysis of key education frameworks governing Zanzibar’s education system across all education levels, followed by a presentation of empirical research conducted with government secondary school families, students, and educators in nine of Zanzibar’s eleven districts. The research was conducted between 2022 and 2023 in collaboration with the Milele Zanzibar Foundation (referred to as “Milele”) and the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at the Brookings Institution. The research methodology used was CUE’s Conversation Starter Tools, a participatory community-driven approach, which includes surveys and focus group discussions in school communities.
The report then shares four key findings and recommendations that emerged through this research, which are outlined in Table 1. The recommendations in this report are directed at MoEVT, including central as well as district and school leaders, responsible for designing and implementing family and community engagement. Recommendations are also relevant for civil society organizations and donors supporting the education sector in Zanzibar.
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