Decentralization of the management of public secondary schools in Tanzania: a case of Kinondoni Municipal Council

This research paper examines the effect of decentralization of the management of public secondary schools in Tanzania. Data fot the study was obtained from two souerces primary and secondary. The research methods used are review of documents, questionnaires, interviews of respondents on a one to one basis, and interviews of respondents through focus group discussion. The findings show that the devolution of management of secondary schools to Local Government Authorities coordinated secondary education between Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and LGAs. LGAs strengthened creation of a position of District Secondary Education Coordinators, and Academic Officer to work with the District Education Secondary Officer in all issues regarding the operation of secondary schools in each LGA; employing teachers and their transfer of students, and managing of schools through capacity building offered from time to time by the Agency for Development of Education Management. Also there are some improvements in schools infrastructures like teaching and learning facilities in the surveyed schools. Likewise the paper found out the challenges faced secondary schools which include delaying of teacher’s salary; lack of teaching and learning facilities; students’ school absenteeism; low academic capacity for students who join secondary studies in ward secondary schools; and inadequate number of science and mathematics teachers. Finally the paper ends by recommending cooperation among the administrators (managers), teachers and parents on school matters; involving all stakeholders in all matter concerning education; ensuring regular inspectorates of schools; improving learning and teaching force; improving learning infrastructures as well as institutionalization of cross-cutting issues.