Family background and education provision to female students in public secondary schools in Tabora municipality, Tanzania

This study investigated the family background and education provision to female students in public secondary schools in Tabora Municipality, Tanzania. The study was guided by three objectives; first, to examine family factors which contribute to the education provision to female students in public secondary schools, to examine family based challenges encountered by female students that affect their participation in education in public secondary schools, to explore strategies used to mitigate challenges for female students' participation in public secondary education. The study employed a qualitative research approach with a multiple case holistic design to collect data from three public secondary schools in Tabora Municipality. The study deployed purposive and optimistic sampling techniques. The study involved 43 participants. The sample composition included students, heads of school, parents, academic masters/mistresses, board members, WECs, and MAO. Data were collected through interviews, focus group discussions and documentary review. Qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis and presented using description display matrix to generate tables, figures and percentages. The study revealed that parents/guardians' level of education, level of income and family size influenced the provision of education to female students in public secondary schools in Tabora Municipality. Furthermore, findings revealed that parents/guardians were unaware and irresponsible on the provision of supportive educational facilities to female students, such as textbooks, furniture, television and magazines. It was also found that parents/guardians' low level of income affected the provision of education to their children due to poor sources of income for raising their children. The study also revealed that, a number of strategies are employed to mitigate challenges hindering female students’ participation in Public Secondary education. Such strategies include; provision of consultation, guidance and counseling, suggestion boxes, conducting meetings, extra classes for different programmes, provision of first aid, surveillance and involvement of Governmental and Non-Governmental institutions. These ensured that female students were enrolled and complete their secondary education successfully. The study recommends that the government, since there are some cultural practices that may make students miss studies and which affect many female students in public secondary school, ward education officers and councilor should create awareness through meetings to remind their parents/guardians of the importance of education as well as effects of missing studied. There is a need for parents/guardians to invest on education of their children and assist them to engage in more educationally relevant activities after school hours. They should also make follow up of their children's education at schools. Female students should be guided to value education and utilize their time after school hours more effectively. A study that aims to explore the relevance of formal school curriculum on preparing students to acquire skills to cope with socio-cultural and economic challenges within their family and society settings that limit their participation in education is proposed.