Factors Influencing Academic Performance of Ward Secondary Schools: A Case of Selected Schools in Moshi Municipality and Moshi District.
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Back Ground to the Study
Education is the process of initiating and preparing man through training in his environment, in order to play
active roles in society. It provides desirable and worthwhile broad and in depth modes of thought, skills,
attitudes and understanding needed for the full development of human thinking and actions. Education makes
man aware of his own condition and that of his society; it is embodied within its science and technology
(Tanzania Education and Training Policy, 1995).
Following the TETP (1995) report???, the Education Sector Development Program (ESDP) was initiated in
1997 as a strategy towards a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) to educational development. The main goals of
SWAP was to achieve the long-term human development, to reduce poverty and to redress the problems
of fragmented interventions through projects, so as to promote collaboration and partnership among all
stakeholders using pooled human, fi nancial and material resources.
Secondary education occupies a pivotal role in the development of the economy and the education system
itself. Experience shows that, the majority of the people in both the private and public sectors are expected
to be secondary education leavers. The primary education system relies on teachers who are the product
of secondary education system. Candidates of higher and tertiary education training are the products of the
secondary education system. This is the essence of being pivotal or the lynch pin.
During the third phase, Tanzanian government under the President Benjamin William Mkapa introduced the implementation of the Tanzania Education Policy, which went together with the campaign of increasing the number of students enrollment from primary school to secondary school.
The government, as one of the main education stakeholders in the country introduced ward secondary schools ,whereas, every ward is supposed to establish a secondary school.
This led to the increasing number of student who are were enrolling from primary school into secondary school education in the country. However, when all these transformative are taking place, the factors that affect the academic performance of these ward secondary schools are still not yet studied. It is this situation, which created interest to the researcher to develop this kind of research inquiry.
For the case of this study, the focus has been on the links between education providers, facilitators, and learning
environments, which includes all the facilities and infrastructure, availability of materials and how they affect
the performance of ward secondary schools in Moshi municipal and Moshi district as well.
1.2 Research Problem
Since the pronouncement of the Tanzania Education and Training Policy early 2000s, there were campaigns
emphasizing on the goals of education for all. This led to the introduction of ward secondary schools in every
ward in Tanzania hence increases the enrollment of primary school leavers into secondary schools. The establishment of ward secondary schools in Tanzania is a phenomenon of the early 2000s, but there is no adequate literature and information on the actual performance of ward secondary schools. This existing gap instigated this research to be conducted . There was a need for establishing and examining the academic performance trend of ward secondary schools using few selected secondary schools from Moshi Municipality and Moshi Rural as the case study.
1.3 Objectives
1.3.1 Main Objective
The main objective of this study was to examine factors affecting the academic performance of ward secondary
schools. Factors Influencing Academic Performance of Ward Secondary Schools: A Case of Selected Schools in Moshi Municipality and Moshi District
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
Specifically the study intended to:
i. Examine the performance trend of ward secondary schools since their establishment;
ii. Identify the average number of teachers in secondary schools;
iii. Evaluate the availability of teaching and learning materials [quality and quantity]; and
iv. Assess the learning environment [laboratory, library, dormitories and classrooms]
1.3.3 Research Questions
The study was seeking to answer the following questions:-
i. What is the performance trend of the secondary schools since their establishment?
ii. What is the average number of teachers per secondary school?
iii. What is the quality and quantity of learning materials?
iv. What is the existing learning environment in the selected secondary schools?
1.4 Significance of the Study
In order to have proper and well established education establishment and management practices for addressing
various education issues, there is a need to have a core understanding of the various strategies and ways in
which different development practitioners and stakeholders participate and infl uence the education management
processes in the country. The study generates knowledge and understanding in the ways, which enable and
influence the development of education sector in a country.
The findings of the study have increased understanding on various policies and decision makers and planners
in realizing the various factors influencing the development and education sector in the planning and
implementation of the educational practices and dissemination programs for sustainable development not only
to the study area but also in the various parts of the country and the world at large.
The study is significant to other researchers who are interested in doing research on education development and
students performance in relation to education management activities and strategies in the country. In addition,
the study significantly enriches different studies that have been undertaken on students performance. , and it
reveals the problems associated with secondary education and students performance ,which are very important
in identifying the solutions for addressing the identified problems.
1.5 The Study Framework
This Conceptual framework is derived from the whole process and progress of the increased established ward
secondary schools. The idea in this case gives meaning the purpose of the concept as the conceptual framework
expresses itself stage by stage. After the establishment of more secondary schools, the society expects the increased students enrolment at secondary levels, which in turn lead to the increase number of secondary school leavers in a society and sometimes, it makes secondary education as a must and basic level for education attainment.
In the next stage, it is expected that most of these secondary school leavers proceed to another stage where they
may join tertiary education, colleges, universities, vocational training, advanced secondary schools, and others
become competent secondary school leavers. All these are determined by the students grade in secondary
level, which is influenced by several factors like, availability of competent teachers, teaching facilities,
dormitories, well equipped library, just to mentions few.
Therefore, from the above Conceptual framework, it is now clear that the main pivotal for this study is the
factors determining students pass (school performance) and the above- mentioned factors are the variables that
were used.
Thanks God For This Reality, we were brainwashed to much!!!!!! as if kuna watu hawakusoma ..hakika sanaa za maigizo si za kupuuzia ukizisikiliza sanaa zaweza kuingiza umma kwenye matatizo kabisa.
Aksante Mzee Mkapa kwa kukaa Kimya ili watu wajifunulie ukweli wenyewe
Source: MUCCoBS Working Paper Series
Moshi University College of Cooperative and Business Studies
No.1/2013 ISSN 1821 - 5211
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