Impact of Higher Learning Institutions in Provision of Quality Socio-Economic Development in Tanzania

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of Higher Learning Institions (HLIs) in provision of quality socio-economic development in Tanzania. In the new knowledge economy, the main roles of HLIs are: to provide high level manpower needs of the society, provide new knowledge and diffusing it into the national economy, provide services to the community and provide employment to the community. In reality, however, not much of the above mentioned roles has been done. If higher education is to become the drivers of high productivity, competition and socio-economic development, the following factors need to be taken on board: First, there is a need to re-think and to re-define the purpose of establishing the higher education to match with the local needs. Second, there is a need to prepare students for the future by building capacity for curiousity, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and imagination. Finally, the curriculum of the higher education must be liberated from the tyranny of the course book and content. Teaching and learning must be thematic, driven by experimentation, discovery and problem-solving based approaches.

Keywords: Higher learning institutions, quality, outputs/outcomes, inputs-output model, socio economic development, Tanzania