Curriculum Integration of Traditional Arts Education in Tanzanian Primary Schools: An Ethnographic Study on Student Performance Tracking

Curriculum integration of traditional arts education in Tanzanian primary schools has gained attention due to its potential to enhance cultural heritage and student engagement. An ethnographic study was conducted involving classroom observations, interviews with educators and students, and analysis of existing curricular materials. Data were collected from Tanzanian primary schools over two academic years. A significant proportion (52%) of the observed traditional arts lessons incorporated local cultural elements, yet only 30% of student performance assessments reflected these integrated practices. The findings suggest that while there is potential for integrating traditional arts into the Tanzanian curriculum, current assessment methods do not adequately measure students' engagement with such content. Educators and policymakers should prioritise developing more comprehensive evaluation frameworks to accurately reflect the integration of traditional arts in primary school curricula. Tanzania, Traditional Arts Education, Curriculum Integration, Student Performance