Organizational culture and school improvement: conceptions by primary school teachers in Tanzania: a case study of primary schools in Morogoro Municipality

The study sought to investigate teachers and head-teachers' conception of school culture and its contribution to school improvement. The study was qualitative in nature. The sample included five head-teachers, fifteen teachers and fifteen parents. Data collection instruments were interviews. Focused group discussions, descriptive observations and documentation. Interview data were used to establish categories of description developed. While data gathered in focused group discussions, were used to describe parents' interactions with schools. The findings of the study showed that teachers and head-teachers relate school improvement with traditional school culture whereby the teacher is considered as the sole initiator of a learning process. In this case pupils highly depend on teachers in the learning process. This kind of culture has been criticized because it does not enhance pupils' outcomes. The challenge ahead is to transform the traditional teaching, within the contemporary assessment procedures. The need for change is vital for poverty alleviation through primary education in Tanzania. Otherwise the contribution of the primary school graduate to economic development shall continue to remain low. The study further revealed that primary schools do not have vision and mission statements. Head-teachers who are the main school culture creators are not guided by vision or mission statements in their practice. Thus, primary school activities are based on routine and guided by laid down procedures and government directives. This suggests that head-teachers are not initiators of school improvement in the same way pupils are not initiators of their learning process. However school improvement literatures recommend school leaders to be creative and initiators of improvement programmes based on the findings, the study recommended that teachers and Head teachers need training on the methods of teaching and learning which emphasize low power distance.