Topic 6: Life Skills – General Studies Notes Form 5 & 6
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Human being is a peculiar creature in the planet Earth. His peculiarity depends on some techniques, ability, capability and knowledge he/she use to control nature different from other creatures.
Besides, it is an organism which can think critically and solve complicated problems both physical and psychological one, using certain methods, ability, skills and technique, these are what referred to as life skills.
Meaning of life skills
No one can give a clear definition of life skills but before having knowledge on what do life skills mean the meaning of life should be given. Advanced learner’s dictionary defines life as period of time from someone’s birth until death or a state of living which animals and plants have before dying. Management of individual’s life needs a certain skills – is the concept which means ability, experience and knowledge used by man in controlling his/her nature.
Therefore, a life skill is the knowledge, ability and experience which lead a man to control his environment or nature.
Sources of life skill
A life skill has got some sources from which human being attain. These include the following:-
1. Parents are responsible in inculcation the acceptable behavior, culture and value to their children. Besides teaching of their children from, they also add some knowledge and ability to their children which becomes resourceful in their future.
2. Learning institution such as college, universities and schools. It is from these institutions where learners get various skills like how to contain some diseases, how to play a certain game and sport and how to manage resources.
3. Government is also the source of life skills. It is the government which makes law and regulations through parliament and punishes the law breakers through imprisonments. Thus, sometime government uses coercive measures against people who break law. Being imprisoned these people normally change their behavior. It is government which acquires knowledge on different issues.
4. Religion. Religions are an institution which people draws life skills. Religions motivates faithfulness in people, Religious teachings assist human being change from bad behaviors to good one. Thus, religious followers get skills from religions leaders, holy books such as bibles and Quran.
5. Non- Governmental Organization (NGO’s) are independent charities or association delivering services to people. They play a role of helping different group of community members to address their problems. Some NGO’s deals with issues pertaining education provision about HIV/AIDS, issues on guidance and counseling, but also organizes seminars and workshop to drug addicted Youths.
They have also mandatory function of taking care to orphans, and provide necessary skill to these orphans. Example of NGO’s in Tanzania includes Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA), Tanzania Lawyers Association (TAWLA) and Tanzania gender networking program (TGNP).
6. Peer groups, is the group of people with the same age either teenagers adolescents or adults. People do acquire life skills like how to have relationship with partner, how to form business, how to become an artist like musician, actors and craft of different nature.
Besides, peer group especially teenager do acquire curiosity behavior like drug taking, drug trafficking, prostitution and other crimes like robbery and theft. It is good to learn from peer group but taking a firm precaution that the learnt behavior can be good or bad.
Importance of life skills
Life skill knowledge has much importance as follows.
1. Life skills make people to explore alternatives and weight merit and demerits of certain issues which ultimately lead to make rational decision.
2. Life skill enrich people with different knowledge which assist him/her to solve complex problems like counseling and guidance and assist to lessen psychological problems from the society
3. A life skill induces proper good relationship among people but also create self awareness of the people in the given society. The relationship among the people should be positive.
4. Life skills education helps people to live comfortably and more productive in a healthier socially oriented ways. It builds skills for health behaviour.
5. Life skill enables politician to address the mass of people but also assist much in conflict resolution through arbitration and reconciliation ways.
6. Life skills assist entrepreneurs, individuals, manager and economists to engage in different economical activities such as management, innovation, consultation, negotiation, financial management, accounting procedures and investment.
7. Life skill knowledge increase the ability to plan ahead and choose effecting solutions to problems but it also disclose various hidden talents incubated by individuals in arts, sports and games and so forth.
Life skills knowledge is very vital to an individual’s development. It aids a lot in man struggle to control his environment by eliminating some puzzled problems and barriers. It is important for individuals to acquire life skills from the sources such as peer groups, education, religion, government and non-governmental organization (NGO’s)
Topic 6: Life Skills – General Studies Notes Form 5 & 6
PERSONAL & INTERPERSONAL SKILL
For effective addressing of a certain problems personal and personal skills is very crucial. Human beings are always inflicted with many problems, some beings psychological, but other are socio-economic problems. These owe critical measures from a certain person or from any institution concerned. A person who is giving a certain counseling service for instance is always coupled with such skills.
Simply put, interpersonal skills are skills human beings use to interact or deal with others. Interpersonal skills are sometimes referred to as soft skills, people skills or communication skills (intercommunication skills).How we deal with others greatly influences our personal life as well as our professional, these build confidence and enrich our relationship with others.
All human beings as already noted have interpersonal skills. They have attained it from their environment since birth. People learn how are likely to react to other people way of living (culture), practices, behaviors and the way people says.
People with good interpersonal skills have positive relationship with others, but also are able to learn in order to identify which are the best ways of interacting with others in different circumstances.
Interpersonal skills are easily developed, but yielding from them pays huge rewards in personal or professional lives, though needs efforts in practicing and developing in order to obtain such reward and skills as well.
1. Problems solving skills
Problems solving skills is a tool, a skills and a process as well. When considered as a tool is when, it helps a person to solve a problem or goals achievements. When considered as a skill is that a personal or individual use it repeatedly throughout personal or individual’s life.
When considered as a process, involves a prolonged procedures used to address a certain problem or used in attaining a certain goals. Any problem is always in need of certain procedures to address it. In other words in order to attain intended goals for individuals should put in place some ways of attaining such goals.
Though, he/she can encounter with some obstacles. It is a problem solving skill which when effectively utilized will overcome barrier and obstacles for attainment of goals. A number of skills are integrated for addressing such obstacles and barriers.
How problems are solved by using problems solving skills
As already shown previously that problem solving skills is a process that requires procedures in order to address it .
The following are such procedures or process used in problem solving:-
1. The first step is problem identification.
Before taking any action to address a problem, the first thing is to be aware with a problem in place deeply. A person concerned ought to be informed about what the problem really is.
It can be easy to get distressed by solving a different problem than what actually causing distress, if it is easier than dealing with the real problem than what actually causing distress, if it is easier than dealing with the real problem. In this step individual or a person ought to pose self question like-
- What obstructs my path toward achieving my goals?
- What strategies should I employ with given situation in order to achieve my goals?
2. The second step is Problems analysis.
After identifying a problem, you need to think about it from different perspectives .It is done in order to ensure that all dimensions of problem is well understood. In this step some questions are put in place like
- How the problem affect or likely to affect me?
- How the same problems affect other people?
- How other people deal with this problem?
After you have completed this step check to make sure that your definition of the problems is still compartible.It is usually at this point to find that the problem you really want to solve is different from that you have identified at first place
3. The third step is to establish your goals
After cross-checking the problems from different dimensions, a person can now decide what he/she want to achieve and establish some goals. An individual has to answer some specific questions like what are my immediate goals.
- To improve my academic performance.
- To make sure that my small business is excelling and prospering.
- To accomplish my project task on time.
4. The fourth step is to generate possible solutions
At this stage the goal is to generate as many possible solutions as you can. There is no need of doubt or worry about whether or not they are practical, effective or realistic. In several occasions some solutions which are set initially can be improved or eliminated in order to put in place some effective and genuine ones. At this conjuncture, an individual should be aware with what he/she did in the past when faced with similar problems, and how other people dealt with similar situations.
Additionally, you can also consult some professionals such as counselors and teachers or other sources like books and internets to obtain ideas for solutions. Be sure to write down all the possibilities you have generated to solve your problems in detail.
5. The fifth step is to generate or establish some alternatives (cost benefit analysis)
At this stage, an individual is to examine each alternative and writing down some advantages and disadvantages. The crucial way is to evaluate whether the chosen alternative can realize benefits with minimum cost. Some questions are put in place like ‘is this step relevant to my situation’? Is it realistic? What are the consequences both good and bad? What are the best alternatives to help me reaching my goals?
6. The sixth step is implementation
The last step is to implement the solution you have chosen. This step involves identification of all steps necessary to implement it and also going on with a task of monitoring of an effectiveness of some solutions by making sure that it is actually solved the problems. During this stage some questions are put in place.
- How effective is the solution?
- In what extent it has achieved what I wanted?
- What consequences did it have in my situation?
If it happen that some solutions was successive in helping you solve your problems, then you can feel satisfied with your efforts and what you learned. If you find not satisfied in some ways, you can find alternative solutions, or begin the process again.
Remember that problem solving is a cycle or process-involves searching for a solution to a problem that will lead to various possible solutions which then need to be evaluated. If the problem is solved, then you have found an effective solution. If the problem has not been solved then you start the process again
B. MORAL VALUES
Within a particular society, community, nation or a family, there is some behaviour, ethics or standard which are universally accepted by the members of such organization unit. But also some unaccepted behaviour can be a character in some members. These two elaborations pertaining accepted and non accepted behaviour produces the term moral values
MEANING OF MORAL VALUES
According to Webster dictionary moral values are standards of goods and evils which govern an individual’s behaviour and choice. In this regard moral value concerns with principles of rights and wrong behaviour of certain society.
It deals with judgment of good deed and bad deed of people or individuals in a given society. These moral values are derived from sources such as society, government, religion or self.
Importance of moral values in a society
1. Reduces crimes and different risks from our society. These include the risk of being imprisoned, death but also eliminate crime like robbery, prostitution, drug abuse and incest crimes.
2. Moral value induces positive relation among individuals such as unity, harmony and brotherhood. The accepted behavior induces good relation among the members of the society.
3. Moral values promote discipline, fear and wisdom in the society. The society which practice good moral values are disciplined in their daily life, but also are enriched with fear to God and they are wise in making their decisions. Within such society crimes like corruptions also injustices and partiality is eliminated.
4. Accepted moral values practices profoundly reduce the spread of pandemic like HIV/AIDS. This disease spreads because of unsafe sex, prostitution, alcoholism and drug addiction. These are morally unaccepted. But with proper moral values practices HIV/AIDS can be lessened.
5. Moral values induce family stability. The families in which the family members have proper moral values the pillars of good family like love, respect ad cooperation among the family members are normally observed. This eliminates the possibility of unnecessary separation (divorce). Many marriages in African countries have broken because of absence of moral values among members of the family.
Types of moral values
Our society is coupled with both good moral values and bad one. In other words it includes the accepted behavior and non accepted behaviors.
1. Good moral values
These are laws, principles and behavior which are universally accepted by the members of society. These include trustworthy, hard working, honest, respect, faithfulness, greeting of elders, polite, decency, transparency and obedience.
2. Bad moral values
Bad moral values are universally unaccepted behavior in the society. These include use of abusing languages, homo sexuality, drug abuse, unacceptable dressing (tight clothes and min skirts), subjected to pornographies, violence and sexual abuse, greedy, alcoholism, and believe on witchcraft (Alarnkrita, 2010: 88) some of these behaviors can be evidenced in our society as will be shown in next chapter.
Indicators of eroded moral values in our society
Indicators are sign or evidences which reveals the presence of eroded moral values in our society. The following are indicators.
1. Prevalence of HIV/AIDS victims and ARV’S services providers.
HIV/AIDS is a disease which spread through sexual intercourse, though there other ways. Prostitution business in many of city and urban areas aid a lot in the spread of HIV/AIDS, besides many hospitals in Tanzania have formed department to deal with HIV/AID victims by providing ARV’s.
2. Widespread of Youths addicted with drugs.
In many parts of major cities and urban areas have subjected with people addicted with illicit drugs such as Marijuana, Heroin, Cannabis and Cocaine. Example of the areas which many youth have addicted in Dar es Salaam includes Mchikichini, Tandale, Manzese, Kigogo, Jangwani, Bondeni, but also in other township and rural setting drug addiction is widespread.
3. Public have legalized prostitution
This has evidenced with presence of prostitution marketing centers. These include the areas such as Kinondoni, Buguruni, Ohio Street in Dar es Salaam city centre. But also even in other big towns and cities prostitution activities have legalized. In Tanzania, however, prostitution is a crime or illegal activity. This is also an indicator which reveals the presence of immoral practices in Tanzania society.
4. Disappearance respect of youths to elders.
Disappearance of respect to elders have been wide spread for example few youngster rare offer their seats in commuter buses. But, also there has been evidence of some students beating their teachers, burning schools and so forth. These behaviours are triggered with drug abuse, poor upbringing and generally disappearance of discipline among the individuals.
5. Existence of teenage pregnancies and abortion
Many teenagers have been affected with early child pregnancies. These pregnancies have stimulated abortion and throwing babies. Many reports from medians like newspapers, radio and television have been giving information about teenage pregnancies and abortion
6. Homosexuality and marriages of people with same sex have widespread
The societies have been affected with homosexuality. But besides of this homosexuality it has compelled to legalize marriage between the people of same sex, example the practicable marriages have reported in Malawi and Kenya recently.
7. Violence and sexual abuse
Sexual abuses coupled with raping have reported in our society. Besides incest relationship had experienced. But also due to cultural practices violence in our families have been evidenced especially in Mara region on which wives beating have been an activity of a day. This violence has been coupled with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) not only in Tanzania but also in many African Countries.
8. Widespread of abusive language
There has been always spread of abusive languages to the public from some people. This has been experienced in populated areas like marketing centers, commuter bus stations and in the public transport. This has been stimulated by decline of moral in the society and lack of self discipline. The spread of abusive language lead the young generation to adapt and use it publically.
It is true that bad moral behaviors are prevailing in our society. The explained indicators above are an evidence of such behaviors. The government and its instrument have a great role to play order to address it.
The causes for and effects of moral values erosion in our society.
The indicators of eroded moral values are many in our society. This part is trying to assess the influences which triggers or propel moral erosion. Afterward, the consequences of such behaviors will be given out.
The causes for moral values erosion in our society.
Many factors cause the moral values erosion in our society. These are:
1. Drug addiction
Excessive drug use causes moral values erosion. This is due to the fact that an individual losses control in his/her decisions and henceforth the moral value erosion is inevitable, the victims causes violence, raping and so forth.
2. Poor upbringing and divorce
Poor rising of children can propel to moral erosion. This is because these children become subjected with lack of self – discipline. However, this upbringing can be caused with parents divorce and lack of responsibilities of parents. The poor up brought children are normally prone with moral erosion and consequently subjected with crimes.
3. Peer pressure
Moral values erosion can be also motivated by peer pressure if someone has friends with bad behaviors. Learning from friends through imitation can cause an individual to be vulnerable prone with eroded moral values, if at all his/her friends are subjected with such behaviors, for example behaviors like alcoholism, theft, and drug abuse can be imitated from close friends.
4. Advancement in science and technology
Science and technology has contributed a lot in moral erosion in Tanzania; the population participation in cyberspace has been done through internet, face book, YouTube and twitter. Besides, cellular phones and Televisions (TVs) indicate the presence of science and technology.
It is these technologies where youngsters imitate some behavior through audio – visual devices. This includes being connected to terrorists groups, freemasons, pornographic movies and other films which reveal violence. These affect much our society and compel to moral values erosion.
5. Illiteracy/ ignorance
Is the situation whereby an individual lacks knowledge or education on something. Many people become moral eroded unknowingly or they always not understand if what they are doing is not morally accepted. For example drug abuse can enhance moral erosion though many victims takes it for refreshment but its repercussions are bad, teenagers can engage in unsafe sex without knowing that can be infected with HIV/AIDS or without precaution on early age pregnancies.
6. The role of western culture
Interference of western culture has been inevitable due to globalization policies coupled with science and technology. The African traditional culture has also been integrated with globalization. This has caused adaptation of master’s culture on the expenses of their culture. Thus, there has great change in dressing style; language use and eating habit which have consequently lead to change of moral values.
7. Failure of religious institution playing their roles.
Religion has power to change people’s belief and morality. At the moment many youth in Western and Lowest developed countries are very rarely attending the worshiping places like shrines, churches and mosques. This has been an indicator that religious institutions have failed to motivate the youth to attend the worshiping places to listen word of God.
These behaviors have been fueled with science and technology development and change in living style (modernization). The behavior of not attending prayers have motivated by moral value erosion through cultivating unaccepted behavior such as prostitution, drug abuse and other crimes of different nature.
The cause of moral erosion in our society is influenced with factors within and without our nation. Moral erosion in our society has many repurcations which can be evidenced practically.
Effects of eroded moral values
Indicators of eroded moral values have already given, but also their causes. Hereunder are the effects of eroded moral values.
1. The moral values erosion has stimulated spread of HIV/AIDS and Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STD’s)
Many people have been infected because of drug abuse, prostitution and alcoholism.
2. The eroded moral values lead to distortion of culture
Since the affected people, normally despise their culture and adapt a new culture like dressing style, dancing style and others which greatly causes the culture change.
3. Rampant spread of abusive languages publically
The moral value erosion leads the spread of abusive languages (insults) without considering the public responses. The bad languages have been used at market areas, bus stations and public transport commuter buses
4. Spread of street children
Moral eroded value compels to the spread of street children. This is mainly caused with throwing of babies, divorce and family conflicts. In many towns there are many children, without parents and therefore are affected with lack of basic needs like clothes, shelter and food. These children have changed into beggars, thieves and prostitutes which continuously affect their future life.
5. Increase of people addicted with drugs
Due to moral eroded behavior there has rapidly increased the number of people addicted (in Kiswahili Mateja). This has evidenced in urban centers like Dar es Salaam the areas of Manzese, Jangwani, Mikoroshini, Tandale and others have many youths addicted from drugs such as heroin, marijuana, cocaine and other illicit drugs.
6. Loss of man power for the country
Moral erosion has contributed the loss of man power. This is through imprisonment of people with bad behaviors but also drug addicted people have become weaker to be used in any economic activities such as agriculture, trade and handcraft. Thus with prevalence of bad moral values/loss of man power is inevitable.
7. Many members of the society have been subjected to crimes
Many crimes in the society are caused with moral erosion. These crimes include theft, robbery, incest crimes, corruption and others. All of these crimes have been caused with absence of moral values observance.
The wide spread of crimes have several negative impacts which include violence, corruption, imprisonment of offenders and so forth. (Nipashe News paper, 24th May 2011) reported such crimes especially violence against women in Kilimanjaro, Morogoro and Tanga.
Strategies for maintaining and promoting Moral values
Moral value is like a plant which needs to be watered, fed by fertilizer and weeded. Moral values thus have to be treated as a plant through maintaining and promoting it. The following are some strategies for maintaining and promoting moral values.
1. To use all important measures to protect our culture
An Institutions with authority of culture protection like the Ministry of culture, BAKITA (Baraza la Kiswahili la Taifa), TUKI (Taasisi ya Uchunguzi wa Kiswahili) should be responsible to make sure that culture is protected. When culture will be protected maintenance of moral values will be possible.
2. Encouragement of family stability
There is absence of instability in a certain family. The family which is stable is that which follows the pillars of stable family like cooperation, respect, love, peace and morals. The family stability discourages divorce and misunderstanding among the members of the family. Hence forth can be a factor for promoting moral values. With stability in morally at family level will be same at the national level.
3. Encouragement of leadership code of conduct observation
Leadership code of conduct is a kind standard to be observed by a leader, this code can be enacted by the government or any institutions to govern a certain professional a civil servant. The leader who he/she is following leadership code of conduct will be free from corruption, partiality, dishonest, greediness and non-trustworthy behaviour. By avoiding these behaviors which are not accepted will promote and maintain the moral values.
4. Religious institutions have great role to play if will be empowered by government.
Religious leaders such as priest, bishops, archbishops Imams and Sheikh have great role which they can play through their preaching to their followers. The government should use religious institution and leaders in maintaining moral values. This will assist in addressing immoral acts, such as corruption, drug abuse, robbering, violence and other crimes. Thus will assist the government in administering the citizens
5. Emphasis on civil education
It is very crucial in imparting certain value, skill and knowledge to the targeted population. Civil education can be on some topics like good governance, war against corruption the impacts and causes of HIV/AIDS and drug trafficking. Other can encompasses social problems like the violence against women/ female genital mutilation (FGM).
This can be imparted through civil based organization (CBO), Non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) and through formal education in all levels like primary, secondary and tertially education. The knowledge obtained from some important topics are very vital in reviving the moral values in the society because will address some problems like corruption, drug abuse, female genital mutilation violence and other impediments.
6. Extension and promoting guiding and counseling services
Some centers for guiding and counseling should be opened by the government. This will assist some people victimized with socio-economic problems through counseling of people affected with psychological problems and drug addicted people, consequently they can change their behaviours. This can enhance proper moral values in our society.
However, in Tanzania there is very few counseling and guiding centers perhaps in some Universities and hospitals where rare gives this service. But in our society there are many people with problems and thus in need of services.
7. Adaptation of defined good policies on globalization and science and technology
Science and technology can inevitable lead to moral erosion. The transferred science and technology in the recipient countries, should check the harms which might come out as the result of using such technology, for example, the use of internet (website), abortion devices, some films which portray violence and pornography.
But also ,there should be some policies to guide a country in globalized world on which some immoral behaviors are interconnected like bad dressing, drug abuse (illicit drugs) violence and crimes like incest, marriage of between people of same sex (lesbian and gays). Thus, some laws and policy on science and technology and globalization should be very carefully implemented.
Evaluation of the impacts for cultural and technological change to our moral values
With development of science and technology, immigration and globalization, cultural and technological change is inevitable. This is because some values, norms, customs and traditions are drawn from one culture and added in others culture, this brings cultural change.
Technological change cannotbe isolated from culture change because contributes a lot in change of culture. But before going in detail the concepts of cultural change and technological change should be conceptualized.
Meaning of culture and technological change
In ordinary level cultural change is the situation whereby some traditions, norms, customs, technology, beliefs and other elements are drawn from one society/tribe or national and are adapted in other culture of other society/national. This subsequently, causes the recipient community to loss the purity of its original culture.
But also, technological change is additional of the new art of making and producing things, this is in the realm of crafts, games, songs and arts. Thus, technology advancement cannot be isolated from the factors which motivate cultural change.
Factors for cultural change
1. Foreign domination through colonialism and neo-colonialism.
2. Influences of socialization agents like mass media, peer groups, schools and religion
3. Social, political and economic liberalization include multiparty politics, Gender equality, trade liberalization and privatization.
4. Immigration and migration of the people
5. Advancement of science and technology together with globalization policies. (It has been operated through importation of new science and technology, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and implementation of privatization policies.
The above influences have caused culture and technological change and hence forth disturbance on moral values of our country/ society.
Impacts of cultural and technological change to our moral values
Culture and technology change affect a lot moral values in many society. These effects can be grouped into two, positive and negative ones.
A. Positive effects in our moral values as the result of cultural and technological changes.
1. Transparency and accountability has been observed because of introduction of multiparty system. This has been facilitated by democratic principles observance. It has induced good moral values such as honest, non corruption leader as well as transparent and accountability in general.
2. The introduced science and technology has aided environmental protection, valuing of environment behaviours for example through some policies which insist on environmental issues such as the use of alternative source of energy such as biogas, solar energy, wind energy and others are new in our technology but are highly embraced.
3. Cultural change has led an institutionalization of some liberal policies such as economic, political and social liberalization. In economic liberalization it has eliminated all trade barriers on international trade such as tariffs, harsh tax and embargoes. This has induced many people to participate in international trade without any restrictions. But also in social liberalization gender sensitization policies have been put in place. Thus the issue pertaining gender imbalances are observed. In political it has enhanced multiparty politics and elimination of monoparty. Thus some impediments and immoral values have been eliminated.
4. Protection and maintenance of human rights have been adopted by many countries especially Tanzania. It has been an agenda by many western countries and has tried to enforce it even in the Lowest Developed Countries (LDC’s). This have done through organization such as UN (United Nations), the commonwealth and NAM (the Non Aligned Movement) but also some institutions for observing human rights protection such as the human right watch and Amnesty International have established . This new ideas have induced moral values in our society.
B. Negatives effects in our moral value as the results of cultural and technological change
Education and other knowledge derived from outside cause cultural erosion, but also become opposed with tribes antagonistic with tribe’s cultures. This opposition can cause some people to be isolated by member of society.
1. The adoptability and assimilation of a new culture may require a lot of capital or resources which can be expensive due to limited resources. For example, an application of certain kind of technology or policy enforced by Western countries such as multipartism, liberalization, privatization and others. Becomes very expensive to implement but are also characterized with immoral values like false contract or corruption which have ruined majority third world countries.
2. Some cultural and technological change introduces new values, norms and traditions which are not acceptable like dressing style, for example, wearing short and tight clothes which compels to temptation of raping and other offences such as incest. Also use of modern cosmetics and decoration style totally eliminate people from their culture and henceforth lead to change of moral values in our society.
3. Cultural and technological changes induce unemployment. This is because many works becomes replaced with machines like computers, combined planters and harvesters and robots. Thus, due to unemployment the victims engage in drug trafficking and drugs abuse, prostitutions, theft and other illegal activities. Consequently, it has caused immoral values.
In evaluating technological and culture change many repercussions have observed, some have embraced moral values in our society. But, in other side some cultural and technological changes have promoted moral values erosion especially the use of imported science and technology and adaptation of culture from other countries.
Culture of care and maintenance
Some individuals within a particular family, nation or state, posses different properties such as utensils, houses, machines and so forth. These must be cared and maintained by the owners. Likewise, a country like Tanzania appropriates many properties like roads, capital of different nature (machines, equipments such as euro plane, ships, weapon arsenal and other) buildings and some facilities like car, motor vehicles and office facilities. These are to be maintained and cared by the institutions concerned. But, before going in details the concept of care and maintenance should be given out.
The concept of care and maintenance
In a very ordinary sense culture means the total way of living of a certain group of people in a certain society. But, the meaning of care and maintenance has been given by (http/www.thefreedictionary.com) as the situation of the provision of what is necessary for the health, wellbeing and safety as well as the process of keeping something in good condition respectively.
Thus, from these two concepts,
The culture of care and maintenance is the culture which entails persistence behavior in protection, provision of what is necessary and keeping something in a good condition. Culture of care and maintenance is the concept which tries to show the behavior of protecting and maintaining properties safely without destruction, damage, depreciating (decrease in value of an asset or money) and disappearance through theft, fake documents and any other illegal methods. Generally entails rehabilitations or keeping the purity of something through provision of what is necessary.
Importance of the culture of care and maintenance.
Keeping on caring and maintenance has got some advantages and disadvantages. The following are importance of the culture of care and maintenance:-
1. Ensure sustainable use of properties for the future generation. For examples the culture of care and maintaining of environment through Aforestation and use of alternative energy sources will ensure sustainable use of environment.
2. The culture of caring and maintaining of state building, roads, ruins, airports will reduce the government expenditure in maintaining and constructing the new one but also will facilitate maintenance of its quality for long time.
3. The culture of care and maintenance enables the maintenance of culture of a particular society, for example through arts like carving, buildings, rocks painting and others, culture of a particular society is revealed and therefore when will be maintained can be the source of tourism attraction but also portraying culture for present and future generation.
4. The culture of care and maintenance inculcates the culture or spirit of valuing individual or state properties. The society which cares and maintains old things brings the spirit of valuing which is transmitted from one generation to other generation. However, many people in the society are not pre-occupied with this spirit, henceforth some crucial properties disappears or lacks a stable care and maintenance.
5. Also the culture of care and maintenance reveals a history of a particular society. Other properties reflect the societal historical background, for example, reveal when certain events took place , things like coins which were used at Kilwa can reveal the dominance of Arabs at that particular time, besides some stone buildings along the East Africa Coast portrays Arabs and Portuguese presence at the coast in considerable time
However, culture of care and maintenance can be disadvantage in some circumstances and can be evidenced with these facts:-
1. The culture of care and maintenance can reduce creativity and innovation. This is because people keep the old things which consequently lead to non-innovation and creativity behavior.
2. Profoundly lead to misuse of resources or properties, for example some old building (ruins) lead the misuse of land instead of using it for other purposes such as new buildings, investment and agriculture remains unused (unutilized).
3. Also the culture of care and maintenance causes reluctant behavior for government or individuals to widen the supply of services. For example, it will continue to embrace using old infrastructure such as roads, airports, buildings and utensils.
4. The culture of care and maintenance lead toleration use of rudimentary technology since there is no opportunity for innovation, creativity and research on new productivity and technology. This is due to the fact that technological change depends on time, space and environment. Since there will be no effort to innovate, creativity and research on new productivity. Due to culture of care and maintenance inevitably will lead rudimentary technology (stagnation in technology). Because technology change depends on time, space and environment.
All in all the culture of care and maintenance is good because profoundly lead to a multiple importance. But in other side toleration on culture of care and maintenance can sometime be disadvantage. Through this context, advantages exceed disadvantages. Thus, this culture should be cultivated in the heart of many people in Tanzania.
C. Leadership ethics among of the political and government leaders in Tanzania
For any national development depends on certain qualities such as good governance, transparency and accountability among of the government leaders as well as observance of human rights. But, these cannotoperate in vacuum also are in need of some leaders who follow some leadership ethics.
This part will try to examine how leadership ethics observance among of political and government leaders can trigger development in Tanzania, but also whether an absence of leadership ethics can spear head negative repercussions to nation development.
Meaning of leadership ethics
The meaning of leadership ethics cannot be given before becoming familiar with the meaning of leadership.
Leadership is defined as the influential increment over and above mechanic compliance with routine directive of the organization (Katz and Kahn,1978:528) In this definition leadership is seen as a process whereby one person influences others to do something of their own volition, neither because it is required nor because of the fear of the consequences of non-compliance. Leadership is therefore a process of emerging and helping others to work enthusiastically toward objectives.
But also the concept of Ethics is given out, as the codes which judge standard of conduct either good or bad in individual or group of people. It studies the system and customs as used in the life of particular group of human being especially on moral values conduct. Thus leadership ethics means leader code of conduct or standard of conducts.
The qualities of a good leader
The qualities of a good leader are prerequisite factors which are to be possessed by a certain leader or are some special traits to be possessed by a certain leader in order to be called a good leader.
The following are such qualities of a good leader:-
A honest person for the community behaviors ,a non corrupt person, transparent and respectful to public resources, a good follower of code of conduct (ethics),Non emotional and ready for discussion with his/her followers ,a person who accept critics ,a non-selfish person, a stable person for the community goal attainment ,a person who encourage mass participation ,trust worth and the one who respects others opinions and has a convincing power to lead and struggle for accomplishment of the set goals.
Ethical qualities for a leader are as follows:-
1. A non-corrupt person is ethical quality of leader. A good leader should be free from corruption
2. A honest person /leader
3. A good follower of code of conduct
4. Trust worth
5. Self disciplined leader
6. A non-selfish person
7. A leader who he/she is transparent and respectful to public resources
Importance of leaders portraying leadership ethics.
An organization, institution and country which their leaders follow leadership ethics is likely to develop and excel. The following are importance of leaders portraying leadership ethics
1. Leaders who portray leadership ethics significantly induces team work, the co-workers becomes confidence with their leader but also high respect and discipline is maintained, with all of these qualities unity in accomplishing certain task can be observed. Togetherness (unity) is induced with impartiality coupled with equal treatment of workers by such leader henceforth team works is attained.
2. Also leaders who portray leadership ethics are transparent and accountable. Transparent is a good character to any leader whether a civil servants, headmaster/ headmistress, government officials, ministers and so forth. Transparent behavior drives people’s faith, respect and honest to their leaders. But, inevitably, a transparent leader he/she always responsible to accomplish his/her own tasks. Transparent and accountability incubating in certain leader induce team work but also mass believe on their leaders.
3. Reduces the loop hole for corruption, the leader who portrays leadership ethics will be safe from corruption. Corruption is immoral act performed by many political and government leaders in majority countries in Africa. Thus ethical leaders won’t engage in corruption scandals and henceforth will reduce the government and organization or any institution losses. Ultimately development will be realized.
4. Development is observed in certain organization, national or institution where leaders portray leadership ethics, with absence of corruption, partiality and indiscipline. Development is observed in a country or an organization. This is because resources are injected in light direction but also the people employed should be the light people within that organization, ministry or institutions or department.
5. Also leaders who portray leadership ethics propel efficiency in production. This means an organization, agency, department or the government on which leader ethics is taken into account the efficiency is inevitable. Workers and leaders will work disciplinarily with principles or by law which is governing such organization, institution agency or a country. For example, an organization like school if the administrations and other workers follow leadership ethics, for sure, students’ performance will be realized at such institutions.
Leadership ethics is very vital in the development of a nation. With such importance mentioned, it is now very crucial to inculcate the importance of leader to portray leadership ethics among of learners. But also agencies, government departments and others should make sure that leadership code of conduct is well stipulated and put in place.
Effects resulting from the failure of political and government leaders to adhere in leadership ethics
As already noted previously, that leadership ethics portrayal among leaders results into development. But also, failure to adhere in leadership ethics by leaders whether political or government official causes negative consequences. The following are effects as the result of failure to adhere to leadership ethics.
1. First poor provision of social services will be inevitable. If leaders do not adhere to leadership ethics inevitably will lead to poor social services provision such as education, health services, insurance, transport and communication and water supply.
2. Also if leaders do no adhere to leadership ethics corruption and lack of transparency and accountability will prevail. Corruptions scandals which are prevailing in our society are due to lack of leadership ethics. Consequently it leads to poor government, institution and agency performance in rendering their services.
3. Prevalence of protest, riots, demonstration and opposition to the government and political leaders. It has recently occurred in countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Yemen and at the moment in Libya. This situation and circumstances are due to lack of transparency coupled with corruption which leads to opposition from political parties, but also strike and protest from the citizen.
4. It profound lead to poor governance, failure of leaders to adhere to leadership ethics compels to poor governance. The poor governance lead to poor administration, abuse of human rights and poor allocation of resources, consequently, leads to poor national development.
5. Lead to poor allocation of resources especially finance and human resources. Due to lack of ethics among of the political and government leaders, misallocation of resources is inevitable. Wrong people at certain occupation have been employed or people can be given favors basing on their tribe or ethnicity. But also, over expenditure of government money is witnessed in many government institutions. This reveals the facts that leaders are not adhering leadership ethics.
For human striving to control environment life skill knowledge is very important. It is life skills from which people solve their day to day problems, inculcated with behaviours which are accepted one, equipped with entrepreneurial knowledge, enriched with leadership code of conduct but also being enriched with self independence traits. All in all, psychological and social problems can be eliminated in our society. Besides, culture of care and maintenance can be attained through life skill knowledge.
SELF-RELIANCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Currently, the globe is faced with many socio-economic problems natural and manmade. These problems include climatic change, incurable diseases, unemployment and crimes. The major problem facing the LDC’s (Lowest Developed Countries) is unemployment.
Many Youths and educated personnel are not employed because of lacking job opportunities. Thus, self-reliance and entrepreneurship knowledge has been designed by high learning institutions, Non Governmental Organization NGO’s and Civil Society to impart knowledge, value and skills to Youths and unemployed mass on how they can create job and be self-reliance.
Meaning of self reliance and Entrepreneurship
Self-reliance is the process of being independence or oneself dependence. A self-reliance person is the person with self-reliance behaviors; this means the one who can stand by his/her own feet. This concept has broad meaning which can further be expounded, but when talking on self-reliance is synonymous with self confidence, self decision maker, self-initiator, and self-planer just mention a few.
Besides of self-reliance also the concept of entrepreneurship should be given. But before going in details who is an entrepreneur. Entrepreneur means a person who controls other factors of production such as land, labour and capital and expects profit as a reward. In other words, an entrepreneur is a person who initiates, conceptualizes and materializes a business process that is entirely unique and original in modality.
Thus, entrepreneurship comes from the term entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is defined as the act of mobilizing or employing and organizing other factors of production while assuming the associated rewards and risks (Olomi, 2009:1). Accordingly people use the term entrepreneurship to refer to starting and running a business. Others even limit the term to starting and running a small business.
Qualities of independent person and an entrepreneur
Besides definition of entrepreneurship and self-reliance, also these concepts have some peculiarities. In other words these peculiarities are what termed as qualities of self-reliant person and an entrepreneur one.
Table – 1. 0. Qualities of an Entrepreneur and Self-reliant person
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Qualities of an entrepreneur |
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What forces people to be self- independence and entrepreneurs?
A. Active forces or pulling factors
i. Desire for quick and much money
ii. Unrealistic expectations of becoming wealthy
iii. Desire for fame and recognition
iv. Inability to work with or for others
v. Not wanting to be accountable to any one
vi. Peer pressure or envy especially when most of your friends are in business.
B. Reactive forces or pushing factors
i. Poor prospect of career growth in place of work
ii. Frustration at working place can enhance any individual to be self –independence and entrepreneur.
iii. Feelings of high contribution but low rewards
iv. Job insecurity
v. Lack of jobs in field of specialization
vi. Loss of job, retrenchment, and retirement.
Generally a self –reliant person can be a good entrepreneur. This is because one among the major quality of an entrepreneur is to be independence. But also, the forces toward initiating business for the two groups are similar.
Being self-reliance can trigger factors like taking calculated risks easily, self motivation, avoiding or overcoming hurdles and confidence behavior. Thus, in order to be a good entrepreneur a person should be independence person.
Failure of Tanzania youths to be self -reliant and entrepreneurs
In Tanzania youths present large proportional of population structure. This is an age group ranging from 18-35 years. But many among of this group suffer from devastating poverty and many are unemployed in formal or informal sectors.
Being unemployed, means have no skills of employing themselves which are attained through knowledge of self-reliance and entrepreneurship. This part will try to examine or investigate some reasons which motivates many youths in Tanzania not to be self-reliance and entrepreneurs.
The following are some reasons to why youths in Tanzania are not self-reliant and entrepreneurs:-
1. Poverty
Youths in Tanzanians as already previously indicated, presents a large proportional of Tanzanian population. But majority of these lacks permanent employment, even those with employment cannotsave or access to financial assistance. Consequently, they become unable to engage in entrepreneurial activities.
2. Lack of creativity, motivation and confidence
Many youth lacks creativity besides they are not motivated to excel in business also are not self-confidence because of dependence. But all of these are in need of self-confidence. For examples, Youths continue to depend on their families even if there are some opportunities. Their behaviors have been cultivated with lack of confidence and life’s discipline. These ultimately, lead many youths to remain poor and lack self-reliance behaviours which hinder entrepreneurship development.
3. Lack of formal education
Being confidence, self-reliant and hence entrepreneur is in need of certain knowledge, values and skills. You find that many youths are grade seven leavers who have not attained any entrepreneurial knowledge. Lack of entrepreneurial knowledge leads them to lack the courage of self-reliance. However, there are some youths in certain tribes (Chagga, Kinga, Wapemba and Ha) who are naturally entrepreneurs even if they lack formal education.
4. Many financial institutions provide loans demanding collateral properties
These hinder youths to get loans from some Banks, because they are not accessing to the fixed asset such as buildings, houses and some jewels (ornaments like gold, silver and diamond) .You find that many graduates cannotaccess to loans because they have no collateral. This is a major setback to entrepreneur development in Tanzania.
5. Unfriendly laws, regulation and Bureaucracy
The legal institution in Tanzania is inflicted with complexities. To get business license in Tanzania is very difficult, besides, it is coupled with Bureaucracy. Additionally, the condition to get premises for rent is not defined properly. But, generally laws and regulations are coupled with corruption. This discourages business environment and henceforth reduces self-reliant and entrepreneurial behaviors in Youths.
6. Many youths are over-ambition
Many youths think huge business and dreams to possess expensive properties like houses, cars and others luxuries immediately after stating business or employment. This spirits withdraw them from not engaging in micro business with micro-finance. They usually keep wanting for big deals, business and success for long time. Ultimately they end up in illegal business like theft, drug trafficking and crimes of different nature. Over-ambitious behavior discourages self-independence and entrepreneurship as well.
7. Dependency syndrome
Many countries in the LDC’s (Lowest Developed countries) suffer from dependency on the Western countries for technical assistance, loans, aid and sometime decisions. This behavior has even spread to the common civilians in that countries particularly Youths. Many youths have suffered from dependency on their relatives, parents and guardians.
Their dependencies include decisions, finance and basic needs like food, clothes and housing. This behaviors therefore, discourages creativity, confidence, courage and disciplines among of youths and are normally called in Kiswahili watoto wa mama i.e. totally dependence to their female parents. Many became not self-reliant and can therefore not be entrepreneurs.
Thus, some factors which hinders many youths to be self- reliance and entrepreneurship are normally caused with youths themselves but others are triggered with government failure to define its policies and prioritize youths in all programs and plans.
Strategies for promoting self-reliance and entrepreneurship in our society
Since entrepreneurship and self-reliance behaviours have yet not developed in Tanzania, or if developed does not meet requirements for resources which are available, market opportunities and generally societal needs. Therefore, some strategies for promoting it should be put in place.
The following are suggested strategies for promoting self reliance and entrepreneurship:-
1. Encourage entrepreneurial and life skills education
Since self reliance cannotbe separated from entrepreneurial behavior thus the later should be encouraged. This kind of education should start from primary level to tertially level. This will inculcate the entrepreneurial behavior of self-reliance, self motivation, start up, risk taking and ambition to great success. From these peculiarities a self-reliance and entrepreneurship culture will be developed.
2. Formation of Nguvu Kazi Groups, financial Non Governmental Organization and SACCOS
Nguvu kazi groups are group of several people with intention of accomplishing a certain projects. Thus, youths should be in such groups besides they should form SACCOS (Saving and Credit Cooperative Societies) and other financial non-government organizations, (Olomi 2009:136). In these groups some financial institutions, government and donor countries will inject some soft loans and credit on which youth will be able to access capital for self reliance and entrepreneurial activities.
3. Proper implementation of National Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP) program.
This is a very crucial program to reduce poverty in Tanzania. It is implemented under what is termed as Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS). This is program which seeks to eliminate poverty in Tanzania by 2025. Within the program youths should be given priority because covers large proportional of Tanzania population.
These priorities include elimination of gender imbalance, provision of loans to the youths and employment creations by the government. Through this program some youths will be able to be self-reliant and ultimately entrepreneurs.
2. Elimination of unfriendly laws, regulations and bureaucracy in business development.
Unfriendly laws, regulation and complicated bureaucracy hinder a lot the youths to be self-reliant and entrepreneurs. The process taken to get a license and other permits cost a lot of time and money.
This hinder youth to engage or start up business and henceforth end not to be entrepreneurs and self-reliant. Thus, the complicated legal framework, bureaucracy and unfriendly regulation should be eliminated.
3. Elimination of difficulties in a accessing to soft loans and credit especially collateral as well as rechecking the interest rate imposed by financial institutions.
Youths normally faces difficulties in acquiring loans. These difficulties includes collateral possession (fixed asset such as land, buildings, jewel and others) but, also the interest rate imposed by some financial institutions such as SACCOS banks and others are very high.
This, discourage youth to attain loans and henceforth remain non self-reliant and entrepreneur. Thus, other conditions on loans accessibility should be made and also interest rate should be lowered.
4. Launching some consultative services, extension of entrepreneurial learning centers, seminars and workshops
Some institutions such as Ministries, High learning institutions and other financial institution should have some departments on which youths will go for consultations, but also, education through seminars, conferences and workshops should be given out to the entrepreneurs.
However, at University of Dar-es-Salaam there is solely unit which provide consultation to an entrepreneurs through University of Dar-es-Salaam Entrepreneurship Centre (UDEC).
Self-reliance and entrepreneurship behaviors should be created among individuals. This should start at family, institutional and national level. It is entrepreneurship and self-reliance which can be used by a nation or individuals to eliminate poverty and create employment as well as enhancing development. But it is entrepreneurship and self-reliance behaviors which can lessen dependency, crimes and immoral values such as prostitution and drug addiction.
REVISION QUESTIONS
1. (a) What is a life skill?
(b) With examples explain why life skill knowledge is very crucial.
2. “Moral values are standard of goods and evils which govern an individual behavior and choices”. In the light of this statement identify some good and bad moral values
3. “Our society is coupled with unaccepted behavior”. In the light of this statement show the indicators of it in our society.
4. Account for moral value erosion in Tanzania.
5. Drug addiction is the mother of eroded moral values. Critically discuss.
6. Explain the consequences of eroded moral values in your society.
7. What should be strategies for maintaining moral values in Tanzania?
8. (a) What is cultural and technological change?
(b) Assess the effect of cultural and technological change in people moral values
9. What is significance of culture of care and maintenance?
10. (a) Define entrepreneurship
(b) Give any seven (7) qualities of an entrepreneur
11. What are qualities of self-reliance? Give some qualities of a self – reliance person
12. Give reasons to why youths in Tanzania are not entrepreneur.
13. Lack of collateral is the setback to the development of self-reliance and entrepreneurship among of youths in Tanzania. Critically discuss.
14. “How can government do to promote entrepreneurship and self-reliance in Tanzania?”
15. Why proper implementation of NSGRP program can assist in promotion of entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
16. (a) What is leadership?
(b) List and explain quality of a good leader.
17. What are important of a leader portraying leadership ethics?
18. What will be the consequences in the country where political and government leaders do not adhere to leadership ethics
19. Leadership ethics adherence and development are inseparable in any national discuss.
20. Ongoing conflicts in Africa like Libya, Tunisia, Egypt and Ivory Coast are due to lack of leadership ethics among of the political and government leaders. In the light of this statement suggest the way to uplifting leadership ethics in that country.
