Factors affecting student perfprmance in teachers’ colleges in Tanzania: a case of Teachers’ Colleges in Mtwara Region

This dissertation was concerned with exploring factors affecting student performance in teachers colleges in Tanzania. The study deployed a descriptive survey design to obtain information on factors affecting student performance. The study employed qualitative and quantitative approaches to collect and analyze data from participants. The population for this study consisted of principals of teachers colleges, college academics, subjects’ heads of departments, tutors, and students. Sampling techniques involved in selecting the participants of this study were simple random sampling and purposive sampling. Data collection methods comprised of interviews, focus group discussion, questionnaires, and documentary review. The findings from the study revealed that MoEVT management, community, and family background of the student greatly affected student performance through the use of poor selection criteria, poor coordination and poor support for students from parents respectively. Financial, human and material resources had a great impact on student performance in teachers colleges. Scarcity of funds from the government for academic use by tutors, and lack of teaching and learning aids which had greatly affected student performance. Also the study showed that educational leadership, monitoring and evaluation process were not effectively exercised in teachers colleges due to poor coordination, shortage of time for tutors to administer the required tests, and lack of motivation. It also revealed that tutor background, such as poor knowledge of subject matter, not using teaching aids during lessons, and uncooperativeness had been affecting students and reduced their academic performance. Students’ characteristics such as low cognitive ability, under motivation and stubbornness contributed to poor performance of students in teachers colleges. Classroom management also affected students’ performance as tutors were failing to organize the classrooms to suit effective learning and teaching because of congestion in the classes.It is recommended that the government should raise or upgrade selection criteria for teacher education aspirants, allocate more funds to teachers’ colleges, encourage coordination and collaboration among educational stakeholders. The government also should establish sound mechanisms and policies which will help to address the challenges that teachers colleges were facing and affecting students’ performance.