A Motivational Conundrum on Transition to Secondary Education: What Are the Sources of Information for Primary Pupils on the Next Levels of Schooling in Tanzania?

Abstract

This research article is focusing on the analysis of motivation of primary school pupils towards secondary level schooling the study was conducted in Mpanda district council, Tanzania. The study applied aa mixed research approaches with a survey study design. The study involved 286 participants; students in secondary and primary schools, Ward executive Officers, Village Executive Officers, Primary and secondary education Officers, Region Education Officer, School Board Chairpersons, Parents and other key informants as education stakeholders. Bothe probability and nonprobability sampling techniques were applied. Data collection methods used were questionnaires and interviews. SPSS and contents analysis were used to process data collected. Based on the advocacy of the sources, the study informed that sources of information on the relevance of secondary education were categorized into right and wrong sources. The former brings positive motivation whereas the later brings negative motivation. Overall, the study revealed that teachers, parents, successful people with post-primary education level and local Government authorities were right sources of information and models to primary pupils on the relevance of secondary education. However, Wrong sources included peer groups who failed to join secondary education or those joined but could not make it to completion to form four and unemployed graduates. The study recommends that knowledge, network, and information should be linked together. The community at large should tie hands together to share information that will play an advocacy role to primary pupils on the relevance of secondary education to help them cultivate both intrinsic an extrinsic motivation to participate into secondary education and lifelong learning process.