The community secondary schools phenomena and the Perpetuation of inequality in performance in Tanzania

The purpose of this study was to examine how the community secondary schools phenomena in Tanzania perpetuate inequality in performance which can translate into later inequalities among communities. The study was conducted in Iringa and Mbeya regions. Six secondary schools were used in the study. The respondents were heads of the schools, who were purposively selected. 45 Form three students were selected in each class making a total of 270 for all schools. Questionnaires for the students, interview schedules for the heads of the schools and school records were used as instruments for data collection. Findings indicated that families with high socioeconomic status had more success in preparing and supporting their children to perform better in examinations. Their children were likely to be selected to join government boarding rather than community secondary schools. The selectivity led to producing and exacerbating social inequality among communities which later results to community development differences. The low cutoff points of the students enrolled in community secondary schools led to poor performance. Furthermore, the weak partnership between government and local communities’ resulted in continued inequality for students selected for further studies which perpetuate social inequality from one generation to another. The study recommends that: firstly, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training MoEVT Should strengthen the partnership between the government and communities in the establishment and operation of the community schools. Secondly, the MoEVT Should ensure that community schools are established according to the standards and start operating when all required resources are available. Thirdly, it is important for the government to plan for children from different socioeconomic status to join some of the better schools. This will ensure that those children from poor background have access to quality education which will eventually increase intergerational social mobility.