How Tanzanian Universities Can Respond to Increasing Market Demands of Specialized Forms of English Language Learning and Communication Skills

Abstract

English language and communications skills have undergo tremendous changes in the recent years globally. Increasingly, people realise that they need English language and communication skills not only in employment but also in full participation in social and political discourses, and Information and Communication Technology. Studies have shown that while learners have the motivation and innate ability to learn English, there is lack of requisite opportunities to learn and practice the language. This is because many English language learning proficiency programmes especially in Tanzania are unstructured and not tailored to learners’ particular interests; this is in addition to using methodologies that emphasize on teaching about language instead of teaching language use. The current study therefore sought to explore the roles in which universities in Tanzania could play to address the rising market demand of English language proficiency programmes with the aim of providing outreach services and generate revenue. Face to face interviews, telephone conversations, focus group discussion, questionnaires, and documentary review were carried out during data collection. The findings show that the demand for English language proficiency programmes in Tanzania is strong. Similarly, the assessment of motivation and expectation indicates that availability of professional teachers and practical sessions, fair fee structure, and learners’ passion for learning the language were key drivers behind attending the programme. This implies that English language proficiency is a potential niche market which Tanzanian universities could exploit to meet the rising language demands and at the same time generate the much required income.