Browsing by Author "Sheja, Baseki Josephat"

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    Factors influencing differences in performance in primary school leaving examination in Tanzania: the case of Sengerema District, Mwanza Region
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2011) Sheja, Baseki Josephat
    The purpose of the study was to investigate the factors influencing differences in performance in primary school leaving examination among the government owned primary schools in Tanzania. Four research questions based on the involvement of education stakeholders in procurement, motivation of teachers and pupils, provision of formative evaluation and leadership styles guided the study. Qualitative approach based on a case study design was opted while quantitative approach complemented it. The sample of the study comprised seventy eight respondents namely, one district academic education officer, one district chief inspector of schools, four ward education coordinators, six headteachers, six school committee chairpersons, twenty four teachers and thirty six pupils. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussion, observation and documentary review and were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The findings revealed that education stakeholders in high academic performing primary schools were highly involved in procuring the teaching and learning materials compared to those in low academic performing primary schools. The use of teaching and learning materials in high academic performing primary schools was higher than in low academic performing primary schools. Motivation of teachers and pupils in high academic performing primary schools was higher than of those in low academic performing primary schools and was caused by the presence of good school infrastructure than by the provision of prizes based on examination results. There was a frequent provision of formative evaluation in high academic performing primary schools than in the low academic primary schools. The dominant leadership style in all primary schools was similar, namely democratic leadership style. It was concluded that involvement of education stakeholders in the procurement of teaching and learning materials, motivation of teachers and pupils, and conduct of formative evaluation were the factors contributed to differences in performance in primary school leaving examination among the government owned primary schools but leadership styles did not. The study recommends that school leaders should involve all education stakeholders at school level in the process of procuring teaching and learning materials. School leaders in collaboration with the community and the government in general should improve teaching and learning environment as this motivates the teachers and pupils. In addition, the headteachers should establish internal evaluation system to ensure frequent conduct of formative evaluation. Finally, the research recommends a more holistic perspective be adopted to investigate the influence of other factors such as community support to schools, economic status of school communities and illiteracy rate of school communities on pupils’ academic performance differences among the primary schools.