Demand and the provision of quality secondary education in Tanzania: A comparative case study of private schools in Bukoba rural district.

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which Bukoba rural district needs secondary education and the extent to which private secondary schools in the district were meeting those needs and the quality of education offered. Four research tasks guided the study. Schools were sampled in three division areas where lluhya, Kashozi and Tweyambe private secondary schools were visited. A total of 172 respondents in four categories were contacted. Techniques used for data collection were documentary review, questionnaires, interviews, checklists and observation schedules. The data collected were computed into percentages and analysed qualitatively. Study findings revealed that: There was a proportion of primary school leaving Examination (PSLE) candidates with B and C grade passes but could not be offered form I chances in public schools. The three schools were not using the PSLE scores for Form I enrolment. Lluhya, the only schools administering an entrance examination had set very low cut off points e.g 33%. The cost of enrolling a Form I entrant in the schools was too high for the majority of families in the district. Tweyambe, a school charging a relatively low day school fee had enrolled large number of students. Deficits of qualified teachers were 54.6%, 47.6% and 23.8% at Iluhya, Kashozi and Tweyambe respectively. Moreover, all three schools had a serious shortage of textbooks, poor time and class management. Only Tweyambe had a well equipped laboratory. Schools fees contributions were the only reliable source of funds. However, fee collections were far contributions were the only reliable source of funds. However, fee collections were far below the annual schools’ budgets like at Kashozi where it made only 42.2% of the budget for the year 2000/2001. The study recommended a subsidy on recurrent expenditures from the government to rural private schools ; the use of PSLE scores for Form I enrolment parents and community leaders is recommended.