Understanding Educational Inequalities in Rural Tanzania: A Qualitative Study of Infrastructural, Socioeconomic, and Geographical Challenges
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A B S T R A C T
Many rural schools in Tanzania still struggle with socioeconomic and infrastructure issues that lower educational standards. In this study, we examined the interrelated causes of educational inequalities in rural schools. We employed a qualitative research approach and a multiple-case study design. We collected data using semi-structured interviews and observations. We analysed data using a thematic approach to identify key challenges influencing educational inequalities in Tanzania’s rural schools. We found that some rural schools struggled with overcrowded or poorly maintained classrooms, leaking roofs, damaged floors, and insufficient desks and sanitation facilities. Many students also came from low-income households, which limited their ability to obtain basic educational materials such as textbooks, exercise books, uniforms, and transport. Geographical barriers, such as long distances between homes and schools and scattered settlements, further hindered regular attendance. Therefore, schools in rural areas operated with inadequate school physical infrastructure, limited family socioeconomic conditions, and limited geographic accessibility. These factors contributed much to the educational inequalities in rural schools. It remained important to address these challenges for equitable access to quality education and to reduce educational inequalities in rural Tanzania. Therefore, it is recommended that education authorities should improve school infrastructure by promoting secure and comfortable learning environments, strengthen support for disadvantaged students by strengthening programmes that aid vulnerable households, strengthen community and parental involvement, enhance school accessibility by reducing travel distance from home to school and home, and strengthen transportation systems by investing in school infrastructure, including roads and transportation networks, as well as in the strategic placement of school.