The effect of special and regular secondary schools on performance of talented students in certificate of secondary education examinations
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Date
2001
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The study examined the impact of two groups of schools, for talented and regular secondary schools on the performance of students in CSEE in "Tanzania. In the Tanzanian education system, the cream of students with very high PSLE scores is enrolled in what are called schools for the talented (Special). Characteristically boys join schools with a score of 120 marks and above while girls with 110 mark and above out of 150 marks in the PSLE. However, since the special schools are few, many pupils who qualify by this criterion to be called talented go to regular secondary schools. This study compared the performance of the two groups. Data for this study was collected from two samples of schools, of which four were for the talented (special) and the other four were but of similar characteristics as were to act as controls secondary schools. Information on the performance scores for 590 and 242 in special and regular secondary schools respectively were obtained from the CSEE of 1998 and 1999 results. Interviews were conducted with ministry officials, heads of schools and academic masters and mistresses, and group discussions with subject teachers were also held. The state of school inputs and existing processes in all of the schools were obtained through checklists and observation schedules. The study found that there was a statistically significant difference in the performance of pupils in CSEE results of 1998 and 1999. Students in schools for the talented performed consistently better than those in regular secondary schools. The main explanatory variables include adequate provision of learning and teaching materials such as textbooks and basic physical facilities such as classrooms and dormitories. The teaching workload and pupil teacher ratios were higher in regular secondary schools than in those for the talented, as they were 1:13 and 1:16 respectively. In addition, 79% and 67% of students from the schools for talented were selected to continue with "A" level studies as compared to regular schools where the proportions were 13% and 27% for 1998 and 1999 respectively.
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Available in print form
Keywords
Academia performance, Education, Secondary, Special schools, Regular schools, Tanzania
Citation
Liwa, M. J. C. (2001) The effect of special and regular secondary schools on performance of talented students in certificate of secondary education examinations, Masters’ dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx)