Role of Educational Planning in Ensuring Quality Education of Morogoro Municipality in Tanzania

Abstract

This study aimed at probing the role of educational planning in ensuring quality education of Morogoro Municipality in Tanzania. Its specific objectives were to: highlight educational planning approaches; find out the contribution(s) of educational planning to quality education and to determine the challenges facing educational planning in ensuring quality education. Adams’ interactive and rational models of educational planning served as a frame of reference for this study. The study adopted the survey research design. Data collection instruments consisted of questionnaires, interview and document review. Quantitative data was analyzed through SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) while qualitative data was subjected to content analysis for discussion. The study consisted of 40 participants for quantitative data and 6 participants for qualitative data. Whereas academic masters/mistresses and head teachers were purposively selected, teachers were randomly sampled. The findings of this study, unveiled that Tanzania employs the Social Demand Approach (SDA) of educational planning. Quality education indicators were presented as evidence of the role played by educational planning in ensuring quality. It was found that form IV students’ academic performance significantly improved as evidenced by NECTA (National Examinations Council of Tanzania) results from 2016 to 2020. Other quality indicators reported were, teachers’ qualifications, student-teacher ratios, infrastructure, teaching and learning materials and conducive learning environment. Despite academic improvement indicating better quality of education there were still some challenges to quality-oriented educational planning. The challenges highlighted were inadequate funding, insufficient laboratory equipment, low salaries, political interventions, parental indifference and shortage of science teachers. Planners are therefore urged to deconstruct and reconstruct educational planning so as to facilitate constructive resolutions to these challenges at grassroots level. In addition to allocation of educational funds to schools accordingly, increased involvement of teachers in educational planning is recommended. Prospective research on participatory educational planning for holistic quality education is encouraged.