SSC Short Syllabus 2021

 

Tanzania is among African countries, right after independence started to take measures on education developments through policy formulation, reviews, adjustments, and improvements. These measures include curriculum design and development for schools to meet national goals on education. English as one of the subjects taught in all education levels from primary school to tertiary level, its curriculum and teaching have been gone those changes since then. In viewing and analyzing the English syllabus used in Tanzanian schools particularly at the ordinary level now, we should see the changes of past syllabus, which led to the current SSC  Short Syllabus 2021 we have today. The last syllabus was introduced in 1996 and used up to 2005 where the current syllabus was introduced in use from January. The syllabus was improved to meet the needs, challenges, and shortcomings of the former one. Students were given more activities; the syllabus focuses on student competencies rather than the former one, which focuses more on contents. The syllabus was challenged that it did not bring competencies that is why the standard of English has declined dramatically over the years, and the main cause of this decline is the insufficient teaching of English in schools following the English language syllabus. This was seen by Allen K. (2008) in 'What happened to our good English?  And wrote:

 

SSC Short Syllabus 2021 and textbooks have caused this... Secondary school students only fare marginally better, and yet secondary and tertiary education is all in English. They may be able to engage in simple dialogue but normally only after they have asked for the question/sentence to be repeated at least once. Again, fluent, complicated structures are mostly not understood at all. Written English is a greater problem. How many secondary school students write the almost nonsensical 'How are you? On my side, I'm fine and going on well with my daily activities'. Recently talking to university graduates who were embarking on post-graduate studies their lack of confidence in the language was striking. To make conversation I needed to adopt very simple structures at a very slow, unnatural speed'.

 

This was also earlier seen by Crape C & Dodd W. (1984) suggested the authorities work on a completely new syllabus for English language teaching in schools. Such a syllabus could take into account that many more pupils progress to secondary school from primary a school without facing English language good foundation.

 

In that view, this paper analyzes the contemporary syllabus, by using some of the criteria including appropriateness, feasibility, utility, adequacy, content, method, scope, and consistency between grades. Others are internal consistency, clarity, and up-to-datedness. These criteria will be on its structure, objectives, strengths, and weaknesses that avail. It is important to do so in order to improve the standard of English in Tanzania as proficiency in the language. This is because teachers as main guides for instruction in their classrooms use the national English SSC Short Syllabus 2021 and in examinations. The syllabus was designed and prepared by the Tanzania Institute of Education under the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.

 

ANALYSIS

 

Before the analysis, the definition of the syllabus is given as the summary of the course; usually contains specific information about the course. Collins Essential English Dictionary defined syllabus as an outline or summary of the main points of a text or a course study. Syllabus analysis is the evaluation of the quantity of the syllabus. So the purpose is to evaluate the quality of it developed by the institution.

 

The major areas analyzed in this ordinary level English syllabus are top cover, back cover, inside the top cover, part one and part two of it. The top cover presents the title starting with the United Republic of Tanzania on top then Ministry of Education and Culture now changed to Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, followed by English Language SSC Short Syllabus 2021 for Secondary Schools, Form I - IV, 2005. Inside the cover on the page (ii) copyright of the ministry is uttered followed by designed and prepared authority and address i.e. Tanzania Institute of Education. The next page (iii) is the table of contents.