By David E. Mshana

2012

Education is knowledge and skills obtained from the day ones gets in the world. It encompasses teaching and learning specific knowledge and skills, in either formal or informal setting includes, the aspect of culture which are the past over from one generation to another (MOEVT, 2007).

In Tanzania context, education is defined as the process by which the individual acquires knowledge and skills necessary for appreciating and adapting to the environment and the ever changing social, political and economical conditions of the societies and as a means by whichan realize ones full potential (Education and Training Policy, 1995)

Epistemology is the term originated from two Greek words, “epistemo” which stand for “knowledge or truth”, and “logos” which stand for the “study or theory of”.

Is the study of philosophy that studies the nature, source and validity of knowledge (Nyirenda &Ishumi, 2007).

Epistemology is a branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope of knowledge (Edwards, 1967).

Generally, Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that examines the nature of knowledge, the processes through which we acquire knowledge, and the value of knowledge

Education and epistemology relates in the following aspects;

According to Nyirenda and Ishumi (2007:14), “our assumption about the importance of the various source of knowledge will certainly be reflected in the areas of emphasis in a curriculum, the methodology of teaching, and the role of both teacher and the learner and their modes of interaction in educational context are essentially influenced by epistemological assumptions”.

Also they appoint out the following importance of epistemology in education:

Epistemology is an essential to educators because both thinking on education as well as the activity of educating deals with the questions of knowledge.

Educators think as to which the best forms of knowledge are and which the best ways of knowing are.

When it comes to the activity of educating, educators are concern with utilization of the best ways that can helps learners acquires knowledge.

Epistemology has a central role in determining what we believe in education as well as the

practice that we adopt in educating.

From the above speculative ideas about the importance of epistemology in education, we can simply conclude that the following types of knowledge in epistemology are of great value in the education processes as follows;

Empirical knowledge which is the knowledge derived from the senses and characterized by nature of human experience, gained by assimilating observed data; this helps on the science subjects. Science is the best example of a method for ascertaining the accuracy of such knowledge. Scientific knowledge is a result of the practice of the method: Observation, abduction of a hypothesis, careful observation, refinement of hypothesis, deduction of test for hypothesis, testing and experimentation, confirmation or falsification of the hypothesis.

Authoritative knowledge which is originated from experts over authoritive by tradition. Helps on viewing the importance of books, experts………..in the provision of knowledge and transferring it to other people and the other generations.

Revealed knowledge is very essential in the religious subjects and helping to keep children and learners in the position of seeking how to maintain peace and harmony in the school environment and life in general

Intuitive knowledge which coming from intuition (coming to know without gone through formal processes of reasoning) helps on the field of vocational training where as the learners are needed to learn and use their experience they have to develop their training.

Rationale knowledge comes from reasoning. The process of education both formal and informal needs reasoning and critical thinking. This type of knowledge is the key to education, because the student, teacher and other experts of education always reason in their daily activity in education.

Also ones in the real environment must reason in order to obtain the valuable information in such field.

Therefore, becoming aware of our epistemological grounding is likely to enable us to educate better (Nyirenda& Ishumi, 2007:14).

Policy is a purposive course of action which has to be followed by particular group/actors to address a particular problem or matter of concern (Anderson, 1975:3 in Ngungat, 2008).

The education training policy adopted in 1995 sets the policy for education sector in Tanzania, the policy since then to date has been the road map towards attainment of sufficient and effective education and training to all the citizenry of Tanzania.

Tanzania educational and training policy guides, synchronize and harmonize all structures, plans and practices; to ensure access, equity and quality at all levels; as well as proper and efficient mechanism for management, administration and financing of education and training (Educationand Training Policy, 1995).

Therefore the document is the backbone of provision of education in Tanzania.

While there are specific aims for each level - pre-primary, primary, secondary, tertiary and higher education, the policy has some generic aims of education, which include:

• development of integrative personalities;

• promotion of the acquisition and appreciation of national culture and of the constitution;

• promotion of society-centered learning and the use of acquired skills and knowledge forthe improvement of the quality of life;

• development of self-confidence, inquiring mind, and development oriented mindset;

• giving adaptive and flexible education that meets the challenges of an ever changing

world;

• encouraging love and respect for work of whatever type and improved productivity;

• inculcation of ethical behavior, national unity, international co-operation, peace and justice; and

• Fostering a rational management and use of the environment.

http://moe.go.tz/policy_issues.html

Through these objectives, is where the integration of this education and training policy and epistemology; the branch of philosophy that studies the nature, source and validity of knowledge are well exposed.

Our focus is to see whether we can find the epistemological part in the Tanzania education and training policy. To do this, We focused on the types of knowledge in epistemology that are also found in education and training policy and also to look on if the education and training policy can be answered the basic questions of epistemology:-what does it mean to “know”?-what are the sources of knowledge?-how do we come to “know”?-what can we know?

In ETP (Education and Training Policy), there are

knowledge and skills stated to be covered by a

person in Tanzania education. These knowledge

are also the same as those we found in types of

knowledge in epistemology.

These are as follows;

Authoritative knowledge; is that kind of information that originates with experts or has been made authoritative over time by tradition (Nyirenda & Ishumi, 2007). This kind of information may be from textbooks, research documents, and other contents from the experts. In Tanzania education and training policy, the policy pointed out that “Government shall establish maintain and resource a National Documentation and Dissemination Centre for Education” (ETP, 1995:64).

Also the policy directs that the Tanzania Library Services Board (TLS) is responsible for library services. The ETP also acknowledge the Educational Research and Evaluation Unit to be strengthened and adequately resourced.

Revealed knowledge; this is quite important in the

field of religion. The knowledge of such kind is very

vital in the provision of education; this is due to the

reason that it brings peace and harmony in the school

and other life for fearing of God. The ETP through its

specific preprimary education objectives assert that “to

help the child to acquire, appreciate, respect, and

develop pride in the family, his/her cultural

backgrounds, moral values, customs and traditions as

well as national ethics, identity and pride” pg 4.

Empirical knowledge; this is the knowledge from the senses. Science is the best example of a method for ascertaining the accuracy of such knowledge. Scientific knowledge is a result of the practice of the method: Observation, abduction of a hypothesis, careful observation, refinement of hypothesis, deduction of test for hypothesis, testing and experimentation, confirmation or falsification of the hypothesis. The ETP directs that, “science and technology shall be essential components of education and training in the whole education and training system” (ETP, 1995:53).

Intuitive knowledge; is the types of knowledge involves an instance of coming to know without gone through the formal process of reasoning or intermediate stage of thinking or sensory perception (Nyirenda & Ishumi, 2007). In ETP we have informal education which refers to an education organized outside the established formal education system. The ETP acknowledge this kind of education as “having two forms; informal education and adult education”. It insist that “informal education is lifelong cultural process whereby every individual acquires values, skills, and acknowledge from daily experience and the educative influence and resource in her/his ocial cultural and hysical environment” (ETP, 1995:81).

Rational knowledge; is the types of knowledge that derived from reasoning. It emphasizes the power of thought to man kind and what the thought contribute to knowledge. In education people use senses to obtain information from their environment, and the information obtained through senses are the raw material in education. Among of the general objectives of ETP is “to guide and promote the development and improvement of the personalities of the citizens of Tanzania, their human resources and effective utilization of those resources in bringing about individual and national development”.

Correlation to the epistemology, the ETP

contemplate on the epistemological questions

on mapping the education system in Tanzania.

The following are some of the aspects.

What does it mean to “know”? ETP illustrate the meaning of knowing by explaining the its general objectives, one of them is to “to guide and promote the development and improvement of the personalities of the citizens of Tanzania, their human resources and effective utilization of those resources in bringing about individual and national development”. The definition of “know” according to Concise Oxford Dictionary (2001) is to “be aware of through observation, nquiry, or information -has knowledge or information concerning something”. This means that one that is identified as the one who “know” is the one that can be able to utilize his/her knowledge to save the nation and his/her life.

What are the sources of knowledge? The sources of the knowledge according to the ETP are books, experts (authoritative knowledge), senses (empirical knowledge example science and technology), reasoning (rationale knowledge), knowledge from experience (intuitive knowledge), and also the knowledge from religion (revealed knowledge). The TIE (Tanzania Institute for Education) is the one “responsible for pre-primary, primary, secondary school, and teacher education curriculum design, development, dissemination, monitoring and evaluation” ETP, 1995:51). The source of curriculum is the need of the society and the country in general.

How do we come to “know”? The ETP obligate

the whole process of provision of education in

each level. These levels are pre-primary, primary,

secondary school, and teacher education, informal

and non formal education, vocational education

and training tertiary and higher education and

training, and financing education and training.

That is we can get knowledge by schooling or

through our environment

What can we know? This is the content of the

curriculum. The ETP puts this under the

supervision of TIE, Higher learning institutions,

vocation training and informal sectors. Also the

individual can be responsible for deciding what to

know in informal education

Although the Education and Training Policy have

identified a very crucial knowledge for the

education for period of 16 years now, the big

challenge is remaining on chaotic implementation

of the policy. The outcome of this policy still

questioning its objectives, because those who

complete their studies at different levels of

education are still not carrying the experience

mentioned in the policy.

Edwards, P. (Ed.) (1967) (Vols. 3), New York: Macmillan

MOEC, (1995), Education and Training Policy, Dar es Salaam

MOEVT, (2007), Foundations of Education, Dar es Salaam

Nyirenda, S.D &A.G.M. Ishumi (2002), Philosophy of Education: An Introduction to Concepts Principles and Practice, Dar es Salaam

http://moe.go.tz/policy_issues.html retrieved on 25 November, 2011, at 1020 hr.

Kungat, E. November 8, 2008. Policy Brief-Education in Tanzania, Overview paper.