Teachers’ grievances and strategies used to manage them in public secondary schools in Mufindi district.
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Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the teachers’ grievances and strategies used to manage them in public secondary schools in Mufindi District. In order to achieve that purpose, the study addressed three specific objectives namely to identify sources of teachers grievances, to investigate the impact of teachers’ grievances on teaching performance and to explore the strategies used to manage teachers’ grievances in public secondary schools in Mufindi District. The study employed a qualitative approach with a multiple case study design. Maximum and criterion sampling techniques were used to select 49 participants comprising of heads of schools, teachers, the District Teachers’ Trade Union Secretary, the District Teachers’ Service Commission Secretary, the District Secondary Education Officer and the District Chief School Inspector. Likewise, maximum variation sampling technique was used to select 5 sites. Data obtained through interviews, focus group discussions and documentary review were analysed using thematic approach. The results show that teachers were mainly aggrieved with poor working conditions such as shortage of teachers’ houses, delayed promotion, political interference and centrality in decision making. These in turn affected them negatively, leading to reduced morale towards performing their daily school activities. Due to this, various strategies employed by supervisors included informal and formal grievance management procedure, training, stipulated circulars and guidelines and ward development committee meetings. However, despite the strategies used, some teachers’ grievances were not solved. The study recommends that sources of teachers’ grievances such as shortage of teachers’ house and delayed promotion should be effectively addressed in order to reduce teachers’ grievances and to enable them to perform their daily school duties without difficulties. More research should be conducted on strategies used to manage teachers’ grievances in public or private primary schools so as to enrich the literature because this study focused solely on one level.
Description
Available in print form, East Africana Collection, Dr. Wilbert Chagula Library, Class mark (THS EAF LB 2840.2.T34K43)
Keywords
Teachers, Job Stress (Teachers burnout), Public secondary school, Mufindi district, Iringa region, Tanzania
Citation
Kifyasi, G (2018) Teachers’ grievances and strategies used to manage them in public secondary schools in Mufindi district.Master dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam.