HakiElimu Public Engagement Programme

The Public Engagement programme aimed to improve awareness and involvement of individuals and organisations throughout Tanzania in encouraging positive change in the education system in Tanzania. According to HakiElimu, beneficiaries included out-of-school children, students, parents, guardians, and teachers. HakiElimu involved people in rural areas, the urban economically poor, women, and youth - partly by working closely with organised bodies that had close connections to these groups.

The Public Engagement programme included the following activities.

Popular Publications: HakiElimu produced and distributed information in accessible publication formats to the public, including children and young people. Issues covered included the right to education, how to run democratic school committees, effective student government, as well as aspects of child-friendly, gender-sensitive, and rights-respecting schools.

Public Murals: HakiElimu supported artists to design and paint large murals in public spaces in order to stimulate discussion on education issues. Murals focused on asking thought-provoking questions in order to make people stop and reflect on an issue in a new way. Locations included strategically-situated building walls and high-visibility transport vehicles that were viewable by large numbers of people.

Newspapers and Electronic Media: HakiElimu worked with media houses to include education issues in their existing work, and to develop new initiatives in this area. Activities included radio talk shows, television soaps, and live “counterpoint” debates between those with opposing views. HakiElimu developed short 15-30 second television adverts that posed questions such as, “Do you know what your child learned in school today?” “What can you do if there is no gender equity at your school?” and “Do you know how to remove your school committee chairperson if he or she is not performing?”

Media Investigations: HakiElimu supported journalists to conduct specific investigations into education issues to uncover and publicise new knowledge. Two journalists from regional and national levels were supported to travel to districts guided by general terms of reference. Concerted efforts were made to cover communities across the country. Issues covered included accountability, corruption, and mismanagement, as well as good practices and successes such as case studies of effective schools.

HakiElimu Newsletter: A low-cost newsletter was produced to share information on key issues and recent developments at HakiElimu with members, affiliates, partners, and other interested parties. Each issue focused on a particular theme, such as "the impact of HIV/AIDS on education," "effective forms of school discipline," and "how to promote gender-sensitive school clubs," and included both conceptual and practical information about the theme.

HakiElimu Website: HakiElimu developed a website to communicate both information about education in Tanzania and HakiElimu's aims, strategies, programmes, and activities. Annual reports, the newsletter, and papers and publications are made available in full. It provides links to other relevant sites, including international educational statistics databases, research studies, and advocacy strategies. Readers have the opportunity to send comments and ideas over the internet.

Public Forums: HakiElimu organised a series of public forums on topical education issues. The main aim was to foster and deepen public understanding of the issues, and involve a broader set of actors in conducting social analysis and devising solutions. Governance aspects featured prominently. The forums used varied formats, including forum theatre and public “counterpoint” debates. Activities were built on existing opportunities where appropriate, such as fairs, market days, and festivals, and within programmes organised by other organisations.

Youth, Rights, Gender, Children, Education, Democracy and Governance.

The programme's key outputs by the end of 2003 were:

• ten information sheets, eight popular books/booklets/guides, six educational T-shirts, two sets of posters, and two annual calendars on education-related aspects have been published in Swahili and English, reproduced in large quantities, and distributed throughout Tanzania;
• fifty large murals have been painted on strategically located buildings and moving vehicles and have succeeded in generating discussion on education issues;
• an editorial cartoon series in a leading newspaper, at least 50 letters to the editor (written by HakiElimu staff, members, and affiliates), five broadcast debates, and 10 short broadcast 'messages' have been published or aired;
• at least 12 media investigations on critical education issues have been successfully completed and results covered in the national media.
• HakiElimu newsletter has been distributed three times a year to at least 2,500 members, affiliates, and partners throughout Tanzania;
• HakiElimu website contains extensive information about education in Tanzania and HakiElimu activities, including full text of selected publications, and links to relevant sites;
• eight public forums using skilled facilitation have been held on critical education issues;
• the annual HakiElimu teacher/school of the year awards have been inaugurated, and profiles of awardees have been compiled and publicised countrywide;
• four essay/drawing competitions have been held, and some of the best entries have been published in the mass media and in HakiElimu popular publications;
• active collaborative partnerships and activities have been established with at least 10 civil society organisations (CSOs), and support has been provided to 6-10 small organisations; and
• a “membership” base of at least 5,000 friends, affiliates, and partner organisations of HakiElimu has been established and actively supported, including through provision of information and opportunities for learning exchanges.