The contribution of head teachers to curb teacher misconduct in Tanzanian public primary schools: the case of Sumbawanga municipal and rural districts

The purpose of the study was to examine the contribution of head teachers to curb teacher misconduct in Sumbawanga Municipal and Rural Districts in Rukwa Region, Tanzania. Three research objectives guided the study: to explore the nature of teacher misconduct in schools; to find out ways employed by head teachers to curb teacher misconduct; and to identify challenges that the head teachers encounter in curbing teacher misconduct in their respective schools. Data were collected through document analysis, observation, interviews and questionnaires from 232 respondents. Sampling techniques which included simple random, stratified and purposive sampling procedures were used to obtain the target respondents. The data were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The study revealed that, first, the problem of teacher misconduct was prevalent in both rural and urban schools with some variations of teacher misconduct in terms of types and frequencies, teachers' sex, work experience and level of education. Secondly, the study disclosed various ways which were employed by primary school head teachers in curbing teacher misconduct in their respective schools that included teacher attendance register, giving warnings and reprimands, the use of SDCs, assessing teachers' work, and guidance and counselling. However, apart from different ways employed by head teachers to curb teacher misconduct, it was disclosed that most of head teachers were not perceived effective in addressing the problem of teacher misconduct. e stud unearthed several different challenges that among other included Thirdly, they duality of head teachers' roles, head teachers being implicated in misconduct and lack of pre-service headship training and induction programmes. In view of the research findings, it is concluded that teacher misconduct is a problem of concern in public primary schools that affects teachers' work performance, the teaching and learning process and the quality of education at large. The study recommends head teachers' empowerment through being provided various supports including professional skills development.