An investigation of literacy teaching practices in Tanzanian classrooms: a case study of selected public primary schools in Handeni district

The study investigated the literacy teaching practices in Tanzanian classrooms in the provision of Primary education in Handeni District. It comprehensively assessed why primary school leavers are graduating without skills of reading, writing and numeracy competencies. This study employed qualitative research approach due to the consideration that events, processes, and activities are perceived by participants in the way they are rooted in the social sciences. The study was conducted in Tanga region, Handeni district where four public primary schools were selected. It involved a total of 582 respondents in the categories of: District education officer, head teachers, academic teachers, class teachers and students who were selected through purposeful sampling approach. Data were collected through semi-structured interview, classrooms observation and documentary review. Qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis and then coded and categorized according to research objectives and questions. The study findings indicated that there were serious literacy problems in surveyed schools in Handeni District. It was revealed that factors that contributed to literacy problem were pupils’ late enrolment in standard one, shortages of buildings, desks, parents’ level of education, inadequate literacy teachers and poor teaching and learning resources. It is recommended that a broader study may be conducted to include other districts within the region or from other parts of Tanzania to have a wider understanding of the literacy teaching practices in Tanzanian classrooms. By the virtue of the small sample size and the study area the findings of this study might not be sufficient for further generalization.