How the Proximity to a School Affects the Educational and Social Development of Lower Primary School Pupils in Rural Mwanza, Tanzania
Author: Manfred Mjengwa
Abstract: Learning starts at quite an early age, as soon as the cognitive functions of a child become active. This never stops until old age. It is necessary to engage children in activities in childhood that will enable them to develop relative to their age. A school is the ideal setting to achieve this. However, the even distribution of schools, especially in rural areas, remains a challenge. This paper has proposed investigating how proximity to a school affects the educational and social development of lower primary school pupils in rural Mwanza, Tanzania. The study applied a descriptive study design. The target population was all the ECDE centers and primary schools within rural Mwanza. A sample of 106 participants was randomly selected from 22 schools. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS. The study came to two conclusions. First, it found out that the proximity to a school affects the social development of a child. They also found out that a school’s proximity affects a child’s educational development.