Browsing by Author "Kifyasi, Gerald"

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    The impact of decentralization of secondary education on teachers’ working conditions in Tanzania the experience of Mbeya city
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2013) Kifyasi, Gerald
    The study examined the impact of decentralisation of secondary education on teachers’ working conditions in Tanzania using the experience of Mbeya city as a case study. Firstly, the study determined the status of secondary school teachers’ working conditions during the centralised education system. Secondly, it determined the extent to which the decentralisation of secondary education in Tanzania improved teachers’ working conditions. Finally, major challenges Mbeya city council faces were identified in an attempt to establish how teachers’ working conditions can be further improved under the decentralised education system. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were employed in data collection and analysis. The study used personal interviews, observation, documentary review and questionnaires to collect data in line with the research objectives. Participants involved in the study were teachers, parents, school board members, heads of school and Mbeya City officials. In selecting study participants, purposive, stratified and simple random samplings were used. The study established that secondary school teachers’ working conditions under the centralised system were very poor as teachers’ employment and fringe benefits such as promotions, leave allowances, social service supports, houses and teaching/learning facilities were irrationally/poorly provided or overlooked. Decentralisation of secondary education has to some extent made improvements as teachers are currently promoted and given leave allowances in time as a result of education reform. However, school infrastructures such as teachers houses, laboratories, libraries, and teaching and learning facilities are either unavailable or in poor condition. Moreover, it was established that the on-going education reform faces some challenges related to ineffectiveness of the Mbeya city council management in the supervision of secondary education plans and the inability and lack of commitment of the community when it comes to improving infrastructures. These challenges undermine efforts aimed at improving secondary school teachers’ working conditions under the education reform. On the basis of these, the study recommended that the local government authority strictly implement what they plan for school development, including funds allocation and community conscientisation.