Physical facilities availability and its effects on teaching and learning in ward secondary schools in ileje district mbeya region, Tanzania

This study examined the issues of the availability physical facilities and the attendant effects on teaching and learning in ward secondary schools in Ileje district. The study’s four specific objectives were to determine the condition of physical facilities available in ward secondary schools and whether they are adequate enough; examine how teachers manage to teach under conditions of inadequate physical facilities in ward secondary schools; establish how non-teaching personnel work under conditions of shortage physical facilities in ward secondary schools and assess how students learn under such conditions in ward secondary schools. This study was conducted in Ileje district in Mbeya region, Tanzania. It involved four ward secondary schools. The study employed a qualitative research approach using an embedded case study design. Data were collected from (91) respondents who were the zonal quality assurer of schools, the district secondary education officer, heads of school, teachers, students and non-teaching personnel. Interviews, focus group discussion and observation were used to collect data. Data were subjected to content analysis. The findings indicate that ward secondary schools had physical facilities such as administration blocks, classrooms, laboratories, staff houses, playgrounds, dining halls and toilets, but only one ward secondary school had a hostel. The majority of the ward secondary schools had no library infrastructures. These physical facilities were found to be inadequate and some were in poor condition because of lack of a maintenance culture among secondary schools. Enrolment of students was higher than the physical facilities available could accommodate. Teachers and students were teaching and learning respectively under conditions of inadequate physical facilities. Similarly, non-teaching personnel were working under shortage of physical facilities. To cope with these dire conditions, teachers, non-teaching personnel and students applied different coping strategies such as incurring own costs, using lecture methods to teach students, seeking resource from better resourced secondary schools, involving parents, borrowing books from neighbouring schools and using extra time for non-teaching personnel. Students on the other part shared tables and chairs, took food outside, photocopied important books and pamphlets to cope with absence of library services, attended tuition during holidays, and rented local houses around school premises for boarding purposes. Thus, the study concludes that physical facilities are pillars of education but ward secondary schools have to contend with inadequate facilities which, in turn, affect academic achievement among students. To address the problem, the study recommends that, physical facilities should match with the number of students. Local government should also provide resources according to the needs of schools; schools heads must ensure that teachers, students and non-teaching personnel are provided with important physical facilities to boost efficiency. Resources procurement procedures in local government authorities need to be reviewed for the purpose of minimising bureaucratic processes of buying different teaching materials. And finally, Heads of school should make sure that they establish a culture of maintenance of broken physical facilities in ward secondary schools so that they are in good condition all the time.