A comperative analysis of teachers' motivation to teaching between public and private secondary schools in Tanzania: a case study of Tanga city and Lushoto district councils

This study: A Comparative Analysis of Teachers’ Motivation to Teaching Between Public and Private Secondary Schools in Tanzania was conducted in two councils, Tanga City and Lushoto District Councils, Tanga region. The study objectives were to; identify motivation strategies employed in public and private secondary schools to motivate their teachers; compare and contrast the motivation strategies employed in public and private secondary schools; determine the extent to which motivation strategies employed help in optimizing teachers’ motivation to work in public and private schools; explore challenges which face both employers and employees in public and private secondary schools towards motivation strategies employed. The study employed Mixed Methodology Approach with Multiple Case Study design. 105 respondents were the sample from the population obtained through purposive, stratified and simple random sampling. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, documentary reviews and focus group discussions. Content analysis was used for qualitative data while quantifiable data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 20th version. The findings reveal that extrinsic and intrinsic motivation types were strategically employed in both private and public schools. Monetary incentives in terms of remuneration and compensation rewards; and non monetary incentives were considered. Despite the common motivation practices between private and public schools, still they contrast each other in terms of the systematic level, job conditions and terms of contract. Examining the performance in relation to motivation strategies employed, public school teachers were less effective in teaching than private. That means private schools teachers were more dedicated and motivated to work than their counterparts in public schools who were less motivated to teach. Physical, fiscal and terms of job contract were dominant challenges of teaching which faced both public and private school teachers and employers. It is recommended that in order to meet instructional goals teachers should be motivated, through teachers’ welfare and working environment improvement in both public and private schools.