Secondary Education Development Programme and Provision of Quality Education in Tanzania

Abstract

Tanzania had various strategies for developing the human capital since independence in 1961. Education sector has received high priority in all plans. However, politicians and education bureaucrats have emphasized largely in quantitative expansion. Twins programmes PEDP and SEDP were prepared under ESDP addressing comprehensive questions of access to primary and secondary education while simultaneously tackling chronic problems of equity, retention management and quality. Main objective of this study was to assess the extent to which SEDP faired in provision of quality education among community secondary schools in Rungwe District, Tanzania. The study employed a descriptive and diagnostic research design. Qualitative and quantitative data were selected from key informants including heads of schools, students, parents, schools’ inspectors and district education officers. It was found out that the schools had enough teachers with required qualification, parents’ altitudes have changed by caring to provide education for girls. The teaching and learning infrastructure were found to be of low standard and not satisfactory. It was further found out that teaching is impaired due to lack of books and classroom furniture above all of lack of librarian and laboratories was confirmed. Teachers' student ratio is still high and it is attributed to lower performance however the school’s performance in national examination was fair. It is recommended that the governments should improve schools’ infrastructure, teachers' salaries and parents-teachers relationship be increased to enable improvement of these community secondary schools.