Secondary Schools In Tanzania Research Articles

Multiple-Choice Versus Short Answer Items in Assessing Students’ Mathematical Skills: Evidence from Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Assessment plays a crucial role in improving teachers’ classroom practices. The information gathered from the assessment informs teachers about students’ learning progress. Multiple-choice items (MCIs) as one of the assessment tools have been used to assess mathematical skills at different educational levels in the world, including Tanzania. However, there has been an outcry that some pupils pass the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) and join secondary education without mastering basic mathematical skills. This study aimed to (i) determine the extent to which MCIs and Short Answer Items (SAIs) assess students’ mathematical skills and (ii) determine whether there is a difference in assessing students’ mathematical skills in secondary schools between MCIs and SAIs. 387 Form I students from four public and two private secondary schools participated in the study. Data were collected using two equivalent mathematics tests and analysed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that MCIs had a high mean score of 30.44, and SAIs had a relatively low mean score of 26.2028. The study further found that only 7.49% of students-maintained scores in MCIs and SAIs, while 81.65% and 10.85% had scored higher in MCIs and SAIs, respectively. The study recommends that an effective assessment tool should contain more SAIs than MCIs due to their relative advantage in assessing students’ mathematical skills as opposed to MCIs

An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Entrepreneurship Education in Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Entrepreneurship education (EE) was included in Tanzania’s secondary school curriculum to alleviate poverty and create jobs. Entrepreneurship education content and approaches must be carefully selected and structured to further its effectiveness in addressing these goals. Global research shows notable patterns, or what can be considered ‘best practices’ in this regard, which can be used for comparison purposes. Therefore, the current investigation aimed to evaluate if, and to what extent, the EE included in the Tanzanian secondary school curriculum adheres to international best practices for structuring EE. Informed by such an evaluation, recommendations can be made to strengthen EE in this curriculum. A two-phased sequential mixed-methods investigation was conducted. Qualitative curriculum analysis, followed by a quantitative survey of 135 secondary school teachers, provided detailed data about structuring EE in the Tanzanian school curriculum. The data analysis showed the Tanzanian school curriculum could support effective EE; however, curriculum content and teacher education should be improved to advance EE in the country.

Enhancing Fire Emergency Response Readiness in Butiama District Secondary Schools in Tanzania: An in-depth Investigation

Fire hazards in secondary schools are a global concern, impacting countries worldwide with varying rates and consequences. Tanzania, in particular, has grappled with recurring fire disasters, with schools bearing a significant brunt of these incidents. While government policies and circulars have mandated safety measures like smoke detectors, emergency exits, and the prohibition of candles and crude oil lamps in schools, compliance remains a persistent issue. This study is firmly grounded in three influential theories: Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, the protection motivation theory, and modern disaster theory. Our study used a descriptive research design based on a mixed research approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Data collection involved questionnaires, interviews, and observations. One of the significant findings is the glaring lack of awareness among both teachers and students regarding fire emergency preparedness and the lack of training in fire safety preparedness. The study also delves into the root causes of fire emergencies, which include poor electrical appliance installation, ignorance about fire materials, negligence, and deliberate sabotage. These findings highlight the vulnerabilities that schools face and emphasize the critical importance of preparedness measures. Financial constraints and a lack of fire safety resources emerge as formidable challenges. To bolster fire emergency response readiness, the study proposes a range of strategies. These include the development of comprehensive fire emergency plans, increased investment in fire safety education, procurement of essential fire safety equipment, the establishment of school dispensaries, budget allocation for preparedness efforts, and the promotion of regular fire drills.

Implementation of Gender-Responsive Teaching Methods among Secondary School Teaching Staff in Mafia District, Tanzania

In regard to teaching career, there have been gender disparities in extent using of teaching methods and strategies among teaching staff in schools which ultimately constrain academic performance of students. The use of gender responsive teaching methods became among the strategies that can enhance the performance of students. The study aimed at assessing the extent use of gender responsive teaching methods (GRTM) among teaching staff in secondary schools in Mafia district, in Tanzania. The study was guided by the following research questions, the first research question was, to what extent do teachers use gender responsive teaching methods among teaching staff in secondary schools?, while second research question was, is there any relationship between students academic performance and gender responsive teaching methods used in the classroom?. The study adopted cross sectional research design using a sample of 249 respondents including 184 students and 65 teachers who were selected randomly. Data were collected through survey, interviews and focus group discussions. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis and quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics analysis and inferential statistics (Chi-Square). The study found that, some of secondary teachers had moderate awareness on the use of GRTM in secondary schools particularly in class use of gender sensitive language with regard to what is taught, how teaching takes places, how and what is learned in the context of male and female students was high (Mean=6.08±1.833) and use of gender sensitive language used in a class was also high (Mean=4.98±1.833).The study also found that, there is significant association between students academic performance and the extent teachers ensuring that, working groups were mixed comprising male and female students was statistically significant at 5% with a chi square value of 14.48 and P= 0.025.Further, the study found that, there is positive significant association between students academic performance and teachers in encouraging both male and female students to present results in a group work had a chi square of 9.434 and P=0.151 It is concluded that, GRTM had significant influence on students’ academic performance in secondary schools in Tanzania. The study recommends that, education policy makers, curriculum planners, teachers, gender practitioners, NGO’s and CBO’s should provide pre-services and in-services teachers training on GRTM in order to increase uses so as to improve students’ teaching methods.

Strategic Planning Implementation Practices and School Performance: Evidence from Public Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Aims: The study examined the influence of strategic planning implementation practices on school performance in public secondary schools in Tanzania. Specifically, it assessed the influence of strategic implementation practices on school organisational performance; investigated the influence of strategic implementation practices on teacher performance; and evaluated the influence of strategic implementation practices on students’ academic performance.
 Study Design: The study employed a concurrent triangulation design within the framework of a mixed methods approach.
 Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in two Districts of Mwanza Region namely: Nyamagana and Magu in which data were collected from public secondary schools between August 2022 and January 2023.
 Methodology: The sample size involved a total of 354 respondents including 266 members of the School Management Teams (SMTs), 76 members of the School Governing Boards (SGBs), 10 Ward Education Officers (WEOs) and 2 District Education Officers (DEOs). Research data were collected through questionnaire, interview and documentary review. The quantitative data were analyzed by using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) technique, while the qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis.
 Results: The results of hypotheses tests show that, strategic implementation practices was significantly related to: school organizational performance (P<0.05, R2=0.08), teacher performance (P<0.05, R2=0.02) and students’ academic performance (P<0.05, R2=0.24). Therefore, it is was generally observed that, strategic implementation practices significantly influence school performance.
 Conclusion: The study concluded that strategic implementation of school operations and activities is an antecedent to school performance.

The Factors Enabling Adoption of E-learning Post Covid-19 Pandemic for Teaching and Learning in Selected Secondary Schools in Tanzania

This study assessed the factors enabling adoption of e-learning post Covid-19 pandemic in selected secondary schools in the Dodoma region of Tanzania. Specifically, the study wanted to determine the use of e-learning post, Covid-19 pandemic from the perspective of students, teachers, and ICT support staff in selected Secondary schools in Dodoma, Tanzania; to identify strategies used by teachers to teach e-learning all through the post-covid-19 pandemic in selected Secondary schools in Dodoma, Tanzania; and to identify factors enabling students to use e-learning during the post-covid-19 pandemic in selected Secondary schools in Dodoma, Tanzania. The study was guided by the Technology acceptance (TAM) as advocated by Davis in 1989 in creating variables and constructs used in the study. The study employed a mixed research approach in which both quantitative and qualitative techniques were used. The study used a sample size of 492 obtained by simple random sampling. The findings showed that e-learning is associated with various perceptions of teachers and students which were identified as follows; 47.8% are of the view that e-learning lacks a proper implementation mechanism in secondary schools. The factors for the adoption of e-learning were such as perceived ease of use, attitude towards use and perceived usefulness which revealed that e-learning is good system used in teaching students in secondary schools. This study recommends on the selection of the right e-learning software solution compatible with contemporary secondary school. This study also recommends for the creation of the multi – format contents to the user, such as reading e-books, viewing videos, and listening to audiobooks, learners may learn concepts and gain information via e-learning solutions. The study also recommends to stakeholders to ensure overcoming of the implementation challenges of e-learning.

Challenges of Teaching and Learning of Speaking Skills in Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Challenges of Teaching and Learning of Speaking Skills in Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Gender Gap in Science Education

There has been a prolonged tendency of the gender gap in interest, participation, and achievement in science worldwide. This article explored the gender gap in achievement of science; revisited the possible causes of gender gap in interest, participation and achievement in science; and revisited the suggested remedy measures in a science classroom. The information for the study was collected through a survey of a variety of 48 written sources. The study revealed that there is a significant gender gap in achievement in science in secondary schools in Tanzania. The responsible factors include male-oriented curriculum materials, patterns of classroom interaction, teaching, and evaluation; parents and teachers' lower expectations for girls' achievement in science; and socialisation of girls into dependence, nurturance, and passivity. The recommended solutions include the promotion of gender-responsive curriculum and practice.

THE EFFICACY OF THE DESIGNED INTERVENTION LEARNING MATERIALS FOR IMPROVING ENGLISH LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION ABILITY TO STUDENTS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN SELECTED TANZANIA INCLUSIVE SECONDARY SCHOOLS

This study embarked on intervention research to establish the efficacy of the developed intervention learning materials in improving language comprehension ability among students with hearing impairment in inclusive classrooms in secondary schools in Tanzania. The study adopted a developmental design using pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental mixed approach in which the experimental group was subjected for intervention using designed intervention materials while the control group used a traditional approach in learning comprehension. The study employed questionnaires, interviews and documentary review as methods of data collection. The quantitative evaluation employed paired sample t-test and independent t-test to compare scores within the group and between the experimental and control groups. The qualitative evaluation used a phenomenographic approach. The findings revealed that the post-test mean scores of the students in the experimental group improved significantly in comparison with the control group.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0041/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Teachers' technological competencies in enhancing teaching and learning in secondary schools in Tanzania

The purpose of this study was to investigate level of teachers’ technological competencies and the effect of teachers’ age, gender, educational level and teaching experience in relation to their technological competencies they hold. Questionnaires were used to collect the data from 139 teachers from selected schools using simple random and purposive sampling procedures. Descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out using SPSS software version 23. The study found that majority of teachers were at the first level of technological competency (KA). It was also found that there was significant difference between teachers’ level of education and technological competencies they hold. However, the study found that there is no significant difference between teachers’ gender, age and working experience and technological competencies they hold at p-value of 0.05, though there were some variations. The study recommends that provision of training among teachers should focus on uplifting teachers from KA level to another levels.

WOMEN IN SCHOL LEADERSHIP: A CASE OF COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOLS (CSSs) IN RURAL TANZANIA

This study intended to find out the reasons for women teachers’ under-representation in leadership positions in rural community secondary schools in Tanzania as only 18.7 % of women are heads in 2013 in the country. The first objective was to find out the barriers for women teachers to occupy leadership posts in rural community secondary schools. The second objective was to assess the techniques used by women who are in leadership positions to occupy such posts which could help other women. This is a qualitative case study which consisted of 77 participants (7 women heads, 68 teachers, 1 REO and 1 DEO). The methods of data collection were interviews (with heads of schools, REO and DEO) and focus group discussion with teachers. Data was analysed thematically. The result shows that there are few women in leadership due to lacking support from family to the society level. Furthermore, poor working environments, witchcraft and superstitious beliefs were also observed to scare female teachers away from taking leadership posts in rural areas. Inappropriate procedures for appointing heads of secondary schools also cause women to be few in leadership. This calls for serious affirmative actions like sensitization programmes on gender equality which should be embedded in the education curriculum to make children aware from low level of education about the importance of having women leaders in secondary schools. Also, teamwork is needed to unlock the hegemonic culture that dominates Tanzanian societies.

Conflicts and Conflict Management Styles in Secondary Schools in Tanzania: Perceptions of Employees

This study investigated conflict management styles in Tanzanian secondary schools. Three issues are addressed by this study. These are the types of conflicts that exist in secondary schools; the conflict management styles adopted, as well as the relationship between conflict management styles and secondary schools’ performance.The study involved 161 respondents (36 heads of schools and 125 Teachers). The study adopted a mixed-methods research approach with a cross-sectional design. The data were collected through questionnaires and interviews. The quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software whereas qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. The research findings revealed that the schools face two types of conflicts which are process and task conflicts. Of the two, task conflicts are dominant as compared to process conflicts. The research findings show that conflicts in schools arise due to failure to fulfil one’s responsibility, favouritism and professional inadequacy of personnel. Also, school authorities use the disciplinary committee as well as guidance and counselling as preliminary actions toward conflict management. When things get tough, professional conflict management styles are applied. The most applied styles are compromising, collaboration, and sometimes accommodating. These provide reasonable positive effects on performance. Finally, the study findings show that management styles used have impacts on the performance of secondary schools. Poorly managed conflicts negatively affect performance, but effective management of conflicts enhances performance.It is recommended, therefore, that schools should view conflicts as necessary to their operational life. However, they need to be aware oftheir origins(causes and types) so that a relevant management style is adopted for the best results. Also, the study recommends training forheads of schools and teachers so that their ability to deal with conflicts is optimized

Educational Leadership Practices that Sustains School Improvement in selected Secondary Schools in Tanzania

This paper explores educational leadership practices that can sustain school improvement in selected Secondary Schools Tanzanian. This study employed a qualitative research approach in collecting and analyzing data. The paper is focused on understanding the ability of school heads to set direction, foster professional development and restructuring the school organisation to contribute to school improvement. Data were collected through Interviews, focus group discussions, documentary review and observations. The data were later subjected to content analysis. Results indicate that in best-performing schools, leaders demonstrate ability to set direction by articulating the school vision although like in worst performing schools, the school visions were developed when schools were established thus the current leaders were not involved in their development. Leaders in best-performing schools gave teachers opportunities to attend trainings, seminars and workshops though the schools lack plans for professional development. These leaders demonstrated ability to make collective decisions, to engage school communities and instill teamwork spirit, as well as ability to delegate responsibilities with empowerment, support and trust. Such practices were rarely demonstrated by leaders in worst performing schools. It is seen that school heads needs more skills on management and leadership to enable them analyse their environment and lead schools in a positive direction for school improvement. Key words: Effective leadership, leadership practices, successful leaders, school Performance, visionary leaders. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-15-14 Publication date: May 31 st 2023

The Prevalence of Guidance and Counseling Services in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Tanzania

The Prevalence of Guidance and Counseling Services in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Tanzania

Girls’ participation in science education: structural limitations and sustainable alternatives

ABSTRACT Efforts to attract and retain women in science are increasing, yet girls and women are persistently underrepresented in science education worldwide, limiting their preparation for, access to, and opportunities in science-related careers as adults. Based on qualitative research conducted in six secondary schools in Tanzania and informed by UNESCO's Ecological Framework for Female Participation in Science, this study explored structural limitations and sustainable alternatives to girls’ participation in science education. The study identified a number of structural limitations, including the dominance of patriarchal ideologies about science, the lack of female science teachers, inadequate resources for science learning and heavy domestic workloads. Similarly, increasing the supply of teaching and learning resources, motivating female students to study science, and raising awareness among students, teachers, parents and community members of the importance of girls’ participation in science education were identified as key sustainable alternatives. Overall, interventions to address cultural and social norms related to gender stereotypes and gender equality in policies, legislation, media and teachers’ pedagogical practices are essential to promote girls’ participation in science education.

Application of Discriminant Analysis to Predict Students’ Performances in Mathematics in Advanced Secondary Schools

This quantitative study aimed to use discriminant analysis procedures, to develop a classification model to be used for prediction, to predict students’ performances in Mathematics in advanced secondary schools in Tanzania. The study was conducted in Iringa Rural District to model students’ performances in Mathematics in advanced secondary schools owned by the government. Secondary data of students’ performances in Mathematics of 126 students when they were form five in the year 2020/2021 were collected from academic students’ progressive reports and three distinct groups each contained 42 students’ performances were formed. The analysis was done by using R programming software and a seed of 66 was used during the data partitioning to create training and test datasets. The maximum posterior probability rule was used as a classification rule to assign students’ performances in Mathematics into three proposed groups which are: High, Medium and Low. The classification accuracy achieved by the classification model to classify students’ performances in the training dataset is 97.33%. During validation, the model achieved the classification accuracy of 96.08% to classify students’ performances in the test dataset. These findings imply that, the classification model is valid and reliable. Hence the model is convenient to be used for prediction, to predict students’ performances in Mathematics in Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations.

Exploration of the Challenges Facing In-service Training Operation in Public Secondary Schools in Tanzania

The study explored challenges that face operations of in-service training in public secondary schools in Mbeya district, Tanzania. Specifically it identified challenges facing the operation of in-service training and established possible strategies that are used to enhance effective implementation of in-services training. Methodologically, the study was guided by pragmatism paradigm that employed mixed research approach and convergent parallel research design. The data to respond this study were collected through questionnaire and interview methods. A total of 110 respondents were involved in this study as sample size. Descriptive and thematic analysis was used to analyse data from questionnaire and interview. The study findings revealed that in-service training were offered with intention of enhancing their professional competence and development, however, the operation of in-service training programme are continuous facing several challenges including poor planning of training programmes, lack of clear follow-up strategies and insufficient funding of programmes. Moreover, it was identified various strategies that could enhance effective implementation of teachers’ in-service which were allocating enough budget, providing enough time for in-service training and formulation of good education policies for the operation of in-service training in public secondary schools. The study concludes that in-service training is among the good programme for improving competencies of teachers however, it has been facing with varying challenges. Finally, the study recommends to the government, stakeholders and school administrators of public secondary school to pull up together and provide directly and indirectly adequate resources to enhance operation of in-service training by mitigating those unveiled challenges.

THE DEVELOPMENT OF 21ST CENTURY SKILLS TO SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN TANZANIA: HOW COMPETENT ARE THE TEACHERS FOR THE TASK?

This study explored teachers’ competence in developing 21st-century skills in teaching and learning processes. Specifically, the study assessed teachers’ ability in planning and in implementing lessons that develop 21st-century skills. A purposive sample of 32 Geography teachers from 10 secondary schools in Morogoro municipality was involved in the study. Data were collected through interviews, documentary analysis and classroom observations. The findings indicate that most of the Geography teachers in secondary schools in Tanzania are less aware of 21st-century skills which include creativity; critical thinking, communication and collaboration thus limiting their ability to integrate 21st-century skills in planning and implementation of their lessons. From these observations, the study recommends that in-service training be provided to secondary school teachers on how to integrate 21stcentury skills in lesson planning and implementation.

ESL Teachers’ Perceptions towards Teaching the Four Skills for Developing Learners’ Communicative Abilities for Ordinary Secondary Schools: Do Learning Objectives Matter?

Country wide, studies on oral language skills in relation to students’ communicative competence are relatively scanty. These studies focused on testing and performance with less attention to oral language skills instruction. Hence, leaving a knowledge gap. Therefore, previous studies did not consider whether oral skills are included in teaching and learning in ESL classes. The findings reveal that effective teaching of language as communication calls for an integrated approach which represents different skills and abilities as aspects of as a single underlying activity. The present study was descriptive in nature. The study used mixed research approach. The study was conducted in Simiyu region, specifically, Bariadi district. The study used purposive sampling technique. The study used total population sampling which included 100 respondents. Only 75 respondents participated in questionnaires and focus group discussion. Thematic and content analysis were used in analyzing the data. The findings concluded that teaching ESL in ordinary secondary schools does not base on the teaching and learning objectives as prescribed in the 2010 syllabus for developing learners’ communicative competence. The contributing factors include the negative impact of assessment. This means that both internal and national examinations do not test or assess students in terms of mastery of oral language skills. Also, teaching methods especially integrated-skills approach that is suggested to be used when teaching the four skills is not used at all. Therefore, the present study recommends that there is a need of change of both teaching/learning methods, materials, time and assessment objectives so as to meet the intended goals of teaching ESL in ordinary secondary schools in Tanzania

Accounting and accountability in Muslim secondary schools in Tanzania: a Bourdieusian perspective

PurposeThis paper investigates the relationship between accounting and accountability practices in Muslim secondary schools in Tanzania using Bourdieusian perspective. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews were conducted with school owners, teachers, accountants, an imam and leaders of Muslim organizations. Corroborative evidence was gathered through review of documentary sources. The data were analyzed using a mapping approach.FindingsThe findings show that powerful actors in the schools studied proactively selected accounting practices that supported their particular doxa of survival, access or legitimacy. Also, Fiisabilillah is identified as an existential doxa, and this was found to be more influential than individual accountability doxa and responsible for adherence to work among weak agents despite an inappropriate environment. As a result, accounting practices become “rhetoric” and play a minimal role in discharging both “sacred” and “secular” accountability to both human beings and God.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest that accounting practices must be understood in the context of the socioeconomic and political settings in which the organization operates.Originality/valueMost studies of accounting and accountability have focused on developed countries. This is one of the few studies to explore the phenomenon in the context of Muslim schools in a developing country.