Factors affecting performance Tanzania schools

This research is mainly concerned with the study of factors affecting performance in Tanzania Schools. Biologically people might be said to grow at different rates and therefore at one stage of growth if the subjects they show differences in performance, But in a country where it has been decided that the state will follow a socialist policy, one would expect that each individual will be provided with equal opportunities in education, economics and politics. But even with these facilities given it was found that differential performance exists between schools and between individual pupils. Having confirmed that this problem exists a research was carried out. Pour Schools were chosen for the purpose. Two schools from the urban area and two from the rural area in each area one school had the best record in academic performance and the other a poor record in academic performance, A sample selected was made up of school pupils, school teachers and a few selected parents. Questionnaires, interviews, observation and related literature were used as tools for collecting data. The data collected was studied and analysed. The result of the research ohowed tfcat it was true that some schools performed better than others end some individual pupils performed better than others. According to the findings there are factors which influence the academic performance of children in Tanzania Schools. These factors were found to be culture, environment cultural deprivation, motivations, quality of teachers, size of class, Age differences, Materials, Attendance, Language and teaching methodology. The factors are different but were found to influence the performance of children in one way or the other. Certainly the level of influence defined from one individual to the other but in general the factors are closely related so that one can hardly talk about one factor and neglect the others. After all the factors had been identified and analysed the following re commendations were made. In order to provide a suitable environment and culture, parents should have adequate education and income differences should be narrowed. Children v/ill be motivated to learn if they had enough materials for use in class, good teachers who use correct methods in teaching. Pupils should be grouped according to age and if possible in small classes for it will be possible even for the young teacher to handle the class well. Assignment given to children should be enough, regular and corrected always and as for children who absent themselves from class should on their reporting back to School be given extra exercises and tuition so that they do not fall behind the others. Present examinations were found to favour certain sooial groups. It is recommended that examinations should be centrally set and a uniform marking scheme provided. In order to help children acquire the necessary abilities in reading, teachers should emphasise reading skills in their classes. As it was found that syllabus change in one way^the other affected performance, it was recommended that changes should be reduced to the most minimum and only when it is absolutely necessary.