Contribution Of Management Devolution In Tanzania Public Secondary Schools To Students’ Academic Achievement: A Case Of Tabora Municipality

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the Contribution of Management Devolution in Tanzania Secondary Schools to Students’ Academic Achievement. Its objectives were: to examine the factors for management devolution in Tanzanian secondary schools and to investigate the contribution of management devolution to students’ academic achievements. The study was conducted in Tabora municipality, using descriptive survey design with a mixed research approach to collect and analyse data. The sample of the study was 39 respondents including, district education officer, academic masters, heads of schools and self reliance unit heads. Interviews guides, focus group discussion checklists and documentary reviews were used to collect data. Descriptive method was used to analyze data. The major findings revealed that, factors responsible for management devolution of secondary school includes to provide education services close to the society, failure of the government to manage large number of secondary schools, improving teachers’ efficiency and to improve students’ academic achievement. Management devolution in secondary schools has a close relationship to the students’ academic achievement, as it contributed in reduction of zero, improvement of performance in the Form Two, Four and Six National Examinations. However, after management devolution of secondary schools, students’ academic achievement was found to go beyond classroom subject performance, where students had achieved well on life skills and psychosocial competencies. The study concluded that management devolution had direct impact on secondary schools’ academic performance and students’ academic achievements in life skills and psychosocial competence. The study recommended that funds have to be allocated in local authorities and promote capacity building of staffs to mention a few