Chapter 2 Organizational Framework

Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar

Ministry of Education and Vocational Training

DRAFT FOR COMMENTS

March 2007

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1. National context 3

Chapter 2. Organizational framework 6

Chapter 3. Capacity assessment in educational planning 17

Chapter 4. Pedagogical management functions 33

Annexes

Annex 1: Terms of Reference

Annex 2: List of persons interviewed

Annex 3: Organization structure of the MoEVT

Annex 4: A brief teaching service profile

Assessment of Management Capacities

INTRODUCTION

The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Zanzibar has launched a new Education Policy and is currently engaged in the preparation of a sector wide development plan, called the Zanzibar Education Development Programme (ZEDP). As part of this preparation process a study has been commissioned to assess the management capacities in the Ministry at central and at decentralized level, and to make proposals to address those needs.

This report presents the results of this assessment study, which was carried out by an Assessment Team composed of three international specialists and two specialists from the MoEVT as follows:

§  Mr Gabriel Carron, IIEP consultant and Team Leader

§  Ms Françoise Caillods, IIEP Deputy Director

§  Mr Robert Langley Smith, ZEDCO Consultant

§  Mr Massoud Mohamed Salim, Head of Division of Policy and Planning

§  Mr Mohamed Ali Mohamed, Head of the Division of Curriculum.

In order to carry out its analysis, the Team focussed on two types of critical functions in the education management system, namely the planning functions (policy analysis, plan preparation, plan implementation and budgeting, monitoring and evaluation) and the pedagogical management functions (teacher management, curriculum development, supervision and support services, and learner evaluation). Capacity building needs have been assessed from a holistic perspective. Although technical skill development is the core focus of the study, other dimensions of capacity building which relate to the organizational set up (including the material working conditions) and the creation of a supportive environment, have also been addressed as much as possible. A prospective approach was adopted. The capacity building needs have been identified, taking into account not only the gaps that exist today but also, and more importantly, the upcoming challenges deriving from the recent decision made by the Ministry to adopt a new strategic planning and management style within an overall SWAp perspective. A more detailed presentation of the objectives and scope of the study is given in Annex 1.

The Assessment has been mainly based on the analysis of existing data and documents, and on the collection of additional information through structured interviewing of Ministry staff at central and decentralized levels, school heads, representatives of other ministries and of development partners. The collection of information and interviewing was carried out during a mission which took place from 2 to 17 March 2007. A complete list of persons interviewed is provided in Annex2. In addition to the regular interviewing, an intensive continuous exchange of ideas took place not only within the Team but also between the Team members and senior level staff of the Ministry. In addition a formal debriefing session with the same senior level Ministry staff and representatives of development partners was organized toward the end of the mission. This meeting gave the Team an opportunity to present the main conclusions of its assessment and to collect most valuable comments which have been integrated in the present write up.

The report has been organized in four chapters. In Chapter one, a brief presentation is made of the national context and more specifically of some special characteristics which have a direct impact on capacity building matters. Chapter two consists of a brief analysis of the organizational set up of the Ministry in terms of structural arrangements, working conditions, operational procedures and finally staffing. This analysis gives useful information about the institutional environment which the education planners and managers are currently facing and are likely to face in the medium term. The two last chapters are devoted to a detailed assessment of the capacity building needs in planning (Chapter three) and in pedagogical management (Chapter four). In each case the assessment is based on a functional analysis of the different tasks to be performed. Strengths and weaknesses of existing arrangements are described, future challenges are outlined, priority areas for capacity reinforcement are identified and practical proposals are made to address specific capacity building needs in each area.

Some measures proposed are short term and should be implemented immediately in order to start building capacities already during the ongoing plan preparation process. But others are more long term and will need further discussion between the Ministry and the development partners. Such discussion will hopefully lead, during the next months, to the preparation of a detailed, commonly-agreed upon, and duly-costed capacity building programme which will be crucial to ensure that the ZEDP will get properly implemented.

CHAPTER 1. NATIONAL CONTEXT

A certain number of specific national characteristics have to be taken into consideration when assessing the capacity building needs in educational planning and management in Zanzibar:

1.  Zanzibar comprises two islands: Unguja and Pemba and a certain number of very small islands. In 1964, it joined Tanganyika to form the republic of Tanzania. It kept nevertheless a great deal of autonomy in its internal affairs and has its own executive, judiciary and legislative system. Zanzibar has its own education system and has recently redefined its policy for basic and secondary education (Education Policy 2006) which is different from that of Mainland Tanzania. Higher education is however a union matter.

2.  The country enjoys a fairly dynamic growth. Its economy relies on two main sectors: agriculture – a traditional sector which mobilizes 43 per cent of the employed population but contributes to 27 per cent of the GDP only – and tourism, the recently fast growing activity which is contributing to some 20 per cent of the GDP but gives jobs to 0.7 per cent of the employed population only. Tourism is not benefiting the population as much as it should because of lack of infrastructure but also of shortage of appropriate skills and notably of English language skills. On the other hand, the public sector employs 16 per cent of all workers in the islands. The Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (ZSGRP/MKUZA, 2007) aims at accelerating economic growth, making it broad based and pro-poor. In order to achieve these objectives, it emphasizes among other things: creating an enabling environment for growth, strengthening infrastructures, promoting the development of the private sector (small enterprises in particular), improving the quality of the work force thanks to an increased access to quality education, improving all social services and well-being with a particular focus on the most vulnerable segments of the population, and last but least, improved governance.

3.  In addition to the Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty, a number of policy documents at national levels contribute to shaping the capacity development agenda. These include the Local Government Reform Policy (LGRP), the Public Expenditure Review (PER), and the Joint Assistance Strategy for Tanzania (JAST, 2006). As mentioned above, the civil service employs a high proportion of the working population. Wages and salaries of civil servants represent 60 per cent of government recurrent expenditure and 11.1 per cent of Zanzibar GDP in 2005/06 (compared to 6 per cent in mainland Tanzania). This is considered too high a proportion, limiting the capacity of the authorities to spend more on operational expenditures. A policy of right-sizing public employment is under preparation. A consulting firm has recently submitted a report on possible public service right-sizing in Zanzibar (DAI 2006, 2007).[1] The report considers the excessively high wage bill of the Zanzibar civil service and mentions that “the current budget framework is setting out to reduce the wage bill to about 7.4 per cent of GDP”. The proposed agenda for addressing employment and wage bill issues includes:

§  Reviewing the functions and structure of Government with respect to how many departments are needed, how many staff are needed in each department and how many layers of local administration would be needed for efficient administration ;

§  Strengthening payroll administration so as to avoid “ghost” employees (all wages salaries and allowances to be administered through the Central Payroll Office);

§  Eliminating many allowances and consolidating what is left into basic pay.

§  Strengthening the central Civil Service Department, and Human Resources (HR) units in the line ministries;

§  Installing computerized HR Management Information System;

§  Developing programmes of retraining and/or offering compensating packages to prospective retrenches;

§  Consulting with the private sector to identify skill needs before devising training schemes.

The above proposals have direct consequences for the capacity development schemes in the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT). They emphasize the need to increase the efficiency of the present human resources rather than to recruit additional staff. They insist on the importance of setting up an appropriate incentive structure in order to motivate those who have specific skills and are performing well.

4.  Zanzibar is an island which, as other small states, has few possibilities of making economies of scale. Maintaining several ministries and carrying out the different functions in a ministry is costly. At the same time the small size translates into less differentiation of the ministerial structure, and fewer units in the organizational chart. Several people end up discharging several functions. This flexibility is due to the need to reduce the cost as much as to the shortage of highly qualified personnel. The polyvalence operates within the MoEVT and to a certain extent across the whole public sector, as certain rare human resources (e.g. building engineers or procurement specialists) are shared on a permanent or temporary basis among ministries. Possibilities of increased polyvalence and sharing of human resources should be looked into. On the other hand, the current practice of hiring retired persons to fill existing skills gaps in the Ministry might have to be stopped. This at least is one of the recommendations of the DAI consultancy report.

5.  The Local Government Reform Policy (LGRP) in mainland Tanzania emphasizes the need to decentralize planning and management to the district levels. The Zanzibar Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (ZSGRP/MKUZA, 2007) mentions that it would be necessary to “enhance decentralization functions at the District level” (MKUZA) so as to ensure greater inclusiveness and participation. It further indicates that “the District Planning Committee will implement its plan and M&E activities as part of the ZSGRP”(MKUZA:78). However the Government of Zanzibar has not yet made final decisions about its decentralisation policy.

6.  The MoEVT has developed a new education policy which sets out a broad vision for the medium- and long-term development of education and fixes clear targets to be reached. These targets are coherent with the broader Zanzibar Vision 2020 of the Government, the Zanzibar Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy as well as the international commitments on EFA and the MDG. This new policy and reform are to be operationalized in the Zanzibar Education Development Programme (ZEDP) which will be the basis for moving towards a SWAp. The ZEDP and the recently approved Zanzibar Basic Education Improvement Project will call extensively on existing human resources if they are to be successfully implemented.

7.  HIV/AIDS prevention is seriously emphasized within the Ministry of Education, even if an institutional workplace policy is yet to be developed. However, the number of HIV/AIDS infected persons amongst the teaching and administrative staff does not appear a major issue fortunately. Hence, this is not creating an additional drain on the existing capacities.

It is against this background and within the limits and possibilities defined by these national characteristics that the assessment of capacities in the MoEVT has been made.

CHAPTER 2. ORGANIZATIONAL FRAMEWORK

2.1 The Organizational Structure

Changes in the organizational structure of ministries are often related to changes in government and reallocation of ministerial portfolios. Zanzibar is no exception in this respect. The current structure of the Ministry was put in place in 2006 as a result of the elections organised at the end of 2005. The Ministry, which used to be the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, became the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT). However, the change in portfolio was not the most important factor which determined the restructuring. The transformation of the organizational set up was mainly influenced by the necessity to adapt to changing policies. The creation of a special Department of Secondary Education for example, reflects the emphasis placed by the new Education Policy 2006 on the expansion of secondary education.

But on the whole, the fundamental logic of the organizational set up has remained the same. The overall political responsibility of education development stays with the Minister, while the technical and professional tasks are the responsibility of the Principal Secretary. The Minister is assisted by the Deputy Minister, and advised by an Education Council whose members are appointed as per Education Act. He also chairs the Management Committee which is composed of all senior management staff and is the highest decision-making body in the Ministry. The Principal Secretary is assisted by the Deputy Principal Secretary and by an Officer In-Charge of Pemba. As can be seen from the organizational chart in Annex 1, two Commissioners are responsible for guiding and coordinating the activities of the different Ministry Departments, which are 12 in total (including the Department of Library Services which reports directly to the Principal Secretary). One commissioner is in charge of Policy, Planning, Budget and Research, while the other is in charge of Education. For different reasons, including the distribution of workload between the two Commissioners and their respective areas of specialisation, the Commissioner for Policy, Planning, Budget and Research is not only responsible for planning and administration but also for the Department of Adult Education and Alternative Learning, the Department of Vocational Training and the Department of Archives, Museums and Antiquities. The Commissioner for Education who looks after all matters relating to the delivery of general education at all levels, teacher training, inspection, curriculum and examinations, is also in charge of four special Units dealing respectively with Inclusive Education, Registration, Guiding and Counselling and finally Culture and Sports at School. Departments are further subdivided in a number of Divisions. These divisions, which are often staffed by less than a handful of professionals, are not reflected in the attached organizational chart.