Paper short abstract:

Can the growth of national consciousness, provided by the development of the education system, provoke the growth of xenophobia towards the non-African (Arabs, Asians, Europeans) minorities in Tanzania? Our evidence from the field shows that this scenario is hardly possible in the foreseeable future.

Paper long abstract:

The increase of education level in the country is a priority task for the Tanzanian state. However, how real is the scenario that the growth of national consciousness, as a result of the education system's development among other factors, will lead to the growth of xenophobia towards the non-African minorities (Arab, South Asian and European)? We argue that, the generally high degree of the ethno-racial and religious tolerance of Tanzanians of all educational levels, the tolerant (at least at the moment) politics of the sate being taken into account, the negative scenario is hardly possible in the foreseeable future. The presence of a bigger per cent of people, not so tolerant towards the immigrant minorities, among highly educated Tanzanians than among less educated citizens (note that in absolute figures the number of such people remains small for highly educated Tanzanians too), may probably be considered as an inevitable but reasonable price for the benefits the society and the state can get from the formation and strengthening of the social positions of the stratum of highly educated citizens.