The study of haki – elimu in mitigating students’ unbecoming behaviour in Tanzanian secondary schools

This study sought to investigate the contribution of Haki-Elimu Tanzania, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in mitigating students’ unbecoming behaviour in Tanzania’s secondary schools. The study, which employed a case study design, focused on three secondary schools based in Ilala District of Dar es Salaam Region. The schools had benefited either directly or indirectly from support offered by Haki-Elimu. In all, 50 respondents made up of Haki-Elimu officers, heads of school, school counsellors, disciplinary officers, academic officers, teachers and students took part in the study. To get the sample, both purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were employed. Documentary review, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), interviews and observations were employed to generate the required qualitative data, which was subjected to content analysis. Eventually, the study established that students’ unbecoming behaviours were caused by factors such as school location, poor teacher commitment, poor parental guidance and errant behaviour on the part of the students themselves. To help address the situation, Haki-Elimu used field learning visits, field research television programmes and youth forums. The NGO strived to ensure that the students received the kind of education that helped to shape their behaviours for the betterment of their educational prospects. However Haki-Elimu also faced challenges such as little co-operation from the heads of school, from students, and from the government itself, which at times worked to undermine the NGO’s efforts. On the basis of these study findings, it is recommended that the government should allocate enough spaces to shield school buildings and playgrounds public disturbances and wrong externally-induced influences. In addition, the government should work jointly with NGOs to help deal with behavioural problems students face. Parents and community in general must also help teachers to monitor and guide students and youth in proper values and conduct.