1. By David E. Mshana
2012

2.  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)

3.  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

4.  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:

5.  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.

6.  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.

7.  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.

8.  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).

9.  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.

10.  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;

11.  • 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

12.  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?

13.  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;

14.  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.

15.  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.

16.  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).

17.  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).

18.  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”.

19.  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.

20.  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.

21.  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.

22.  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

23.  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

24.  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.

25.  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.