The Declining of the Reading Culture in Tanzania

🔖 The declining of reading culture among students of tertiary and higher learning and Institute of Adult Education (IAE) students in particular is alarming and threatening the realisation of 'a well educated and learning society, the education vision of Tanzania Development Vision (TDV) 2025. Overreliance on lecturers' and tutors notes, reading for examination, poor tendency of individual reading, and total dislike of reading beyond the examination scope are among the major manifestation of the declining reading culture at the IAE. Claims are made by the IAE stakeholders as the reason for this awful academic and 21st century culture among the students which include but not limited to unavailability of reading materials, limited infrastructure, and education system and academic tradition that focuses more on summative evaluation and certification or examination passing. If not addressed, it may escalate and jeopardise the hopes of creating learning society in Tanzania. Given similar trends in all other institutes of tertiary and higher learning in Tanzania, in East Africa, Africa and elsewhere, this analysis should be of use to teachers, educationists, and policy makers.