The self-help percent in the expansion of secondary education and the quality of education in Tanzania
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Date
1993
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not there was a relationship between pupils' academic performance on the one hand and /or a combination of the three aspects namely pre-planning for a school establishment, organization style in running a school and the availability of resources in establishing the school, on the other. The study employed the open system model designed by Katz and Kahn (1966). Three hypotheses guided the study, which was conducted in community self-help secondary schools managed by two different trusts: the Njombe District Development Trust (NDDT) in Njombe district and Mufindi Education Trust (MET) in Mufindi. Four instruments were used in collecting data, namely, documentary review, questionnaire, interview schedule and a checklist. Despite the apparent difference in pupils' academic performance between Makambako and Mtwango under NDDT on the one hand, and between Sadani and Mgololo secondary schools managed by MET on the other, it was evident from the study that there was no statistically significant difference in pre-planning for the establishment of the schools (within each pair of schools of the two trusts). It was found that both schools in the pairs did not meet the targets set in the pre-plans. Hence, there was no relationship between pupils' academic performance and pre-planning for a school establishment. Secondly, it was found that there was no statistically significant difference in organisation style in running a school within each pair of secondary schools under NDDT and MET. Makambako and Mtwango on the one hand and Sadani and Mgololo on the other did not differ statistically in the availability of specialised personnel responsible for carrying out school tasks, in the location of decision-making and in administrative structure. It was also found that both schools in each pair had shortage of specialised personnel. Thus, there was no relationship between organisation style and pupils' academic performance. Lastly, it was evident from the study that there was no statistically significant difference between NDDT and MET in the availability of resources in establishing and running their schools. It was also found that the two trusts established and operated the schools with inadequate resources. The statistically-derived conclusions seem to defy the indications in the literature reviewed as well as common-sense and common assumptions about schools as far as their academic performance may be associated to the parameters of institutional pre-planning, resource availability and organisational style. The explanation for the rather unexpected results seems to lie in the limitations imposed by the methodology of statistical testing as well as in the qualitative feature (viz. a low performance record) of the sample and the population that was the subject of the study. In the light of these facts, the study recommends to the management of community self-help secondary schools the importance they ought to attach to careful preplanning, serious mobilization of resources as well as a quantitatively and qualitatively adequate staff disposition if such schools have to compete fairly and succeed in academic performance.
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Available in print form
Keywords
Education, Secondary, Self-help groups, Tanzania
Citation
Maduki, P. M. (1993) The self-help percent in the expansion of secondary education and the quality of education in Tanzania, Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/search.aspx)