Browsing by Author "Mwaipopo, Eke Abrahams"

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    Education pursuit and persistance in TPDF Secondary schools
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1987) Mwaipopo, Eke Abrahams
    This study aimed at investigating factors associated with high rate of drop-out experienced by the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces (TPDF) Secondary School in Tanzania, which were launched for servicemen in1973 and have been described in detail. For purposes of close investigation of the factors associated with the problem, some general expectations were advanced. So as to highlight the above problem, a review of literature was done. This examined studies connected with students’ general expectations from education, adults educational needs, motivations in adult education as potential factors for drop-outs from educational programmes. Then the TPDF secondary programme is fully described. It s observed that the programme represents a new venture in the military setting. But unlike that in conventional schools, the programme is addressed to adults as servicemen, rather than children. Thus in order to make the programme correspond to its clientele, it should have recommendably been provided within the frame work of adult education theory and practice, and evaluated accordingly. On practical grounds, the research was confined to a case study within one military unit. It involved a total sample of 84 respondents consisting of 38 students, 35 dropouts, 10 teachers and one Headmaster. Three types of instruments were used in the data collection. They were questionnaires, interview schedules and documentary reviews. Quantitative data were tabulated in contingency tables and, where applicable, subjected to correlation tests for statistical significance. Qualitative data were presented to further explain the former. The findings revealed that quite a number of factors could be associated with the drop-out problem in TPDF schools. The factors are summarised in terms of academic, professional, occupational and social characteristics. In view of the findings, the study recommends that the TPDF authorities should support the innovative programme, fund it adequately, ensure recruitment of appropriate teachers, and arrange in-service teacher orientation courses. The study also urges the TPDF to improve its rewarding system for schooling servicemen. Along with these shorter-term solutions, there is need to re-examine the purpose for which its schools were instituted. Other researchers may replicate the case study for in-depth information about the problem in order to arrest the drop-out rate more effectively.