• Ahmed H. H. Mansoor
• Mayrose Kavura Majinge
• Mathew Knowles

In the rapidly evolving health and education sector of Tanzania, the network of scholars in the respective sectors has grown into a vast ecosystem that requires cooperation among stakeholders. Dating back many millennia, education in health and health in education is an ancient practice in the evolution of civilization. It was developed when humans thought about it and concluded that not everyone in the community was required to acquire the two. Instead, specialized labour, tools, and techniques could help people achieve a surplus in terms of their knowledge base for their community. As a key principle of Primary Education Health Care (PEHC) and Education Health Systems Reform, community participation has a prominent place in the current global dialogue. Participation is not only promoted in the context of the provision and utilization of health services. Advocates also highlight participation as a key factor in the wider context of the importance of social determinants of health and health as a human right. However, the evidence that directly links community participation to improved health status is not strong. Its absence continues to be a barrier for governments, funding agencies and health professionals to promote community participation. The purpose of this article is to review research seeking to link community participation via the MKUVIKUATA program with improved health and education status outcomes programmes. It updates a review undertaken by the author in 2009 till date. The search includes published articles and examines the evidence in the context of health care delivery including services and promotion where health professionals have defined the community’s role. The results show that in most studies community participation is defined as the intervention seeking to identify a direct causal link between participation and improved education and health status modelled on Randomized Control studies (RCT). The majority of studies show it is not possible to examine the link because there is no standard definition of ‘community’ and ‘participation’. Where links are found, they are situation-specific and are unpredictable and not generalizable. In the discussion, an alternative research framework is proposed arguing that community participation is better understood as a process. Once concrete interventions are identified (i.e. improved edu tech and health tech as a catalyst to drive industrialisation and wealth creation) then the processes producing improved education and health status outcomes can be examined. These processes may include and can lead to community uptake, ownership and sustainability for education and health improvements. However, more research is needed to ensure their validity.

Community Participation, evidence-based policy, health care reform, education reform, health outcomes, MKUVIKUATA (Mkakati wa Kuwawezesha Vijana Kupata Ajira Tanzania)

"A Cohort-based MKUVIKUATA Program for Community Health and Education Aspirants: A Forward Outlook and Long-Term Approach in Tanzania", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 2, page no.c365-c376, February-2023, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2302248.pdf

"A Cohort-based MKUVIKUATA Program for Community Health and Education Aspirants: A Forward Outlook and Long-Term Approach in Tanzania", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.10, Issue 2, page no. ppc365-c376, February-2023, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2302248.pdf