Declining students’ performance in arts subjects in community secondary schools: what are the issues? A case study of shinyanga municipal council

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of this study was to investigate issues that lead to declining students‘ performance in arts subjects in community secondary schools in Shinyanga Municipality despite the large number of teachers. The study was mainly qualitative in design involving case studies supported by some elements of quantitative data. The study was under pinnedon Omari‘s conceptual frame work for quality assurance in order to make connection of the quality assured in community school in Shinyanga municipal council. Eight (8) community secondary schools were visited and the study used stratified, random and purposive sampling to obtain the respondents which included 96students, 8 heads of schools, 40 teachers who teach arts subjects, 2 municipal education officers. Other techniques used were triangulation process involving semi-structured and unstructured interview method, focused group discussion, questionnaires and document review. The data was analyzed by means of SPSS (16.0) and descriptive statistics which were deemed appropriate in responding to principal questions investigated. Findings of the study revealed that there are large number of arts teachers in community schools in Shinyanga Municipal compared to other subjects like business and science subjects however, students‘ performance in arts declined at an alarming rate. The study also revealed that better academic performance depends not only on the number of teachers but on other factors such as adequate teaching-learning materials, teacher ability to deliver right content materials, students readiness, ability to learn, well grooming by parents, effective supervision, teachers ‗motivation and morale. However, the existing challenges which were found to face arts teachers currently in community schools included; limited text books, frequent change in the curriculum and syllabi, overcrowded classes, low salary and lack of incentives, poor living conditions of teachers, lack of student enthusiasm and willingness to learn. Based on the findings the study recommends the following: there is a need to collect more information in order to have better understanding of issues that lead to declining academic performance of community secondary schools in Tanzania. Also there is a need for the government authorities through participatory planning to implement development programmes for the sustainability and bright future of existing ward secondary schools, instead of establishing other secondary schools.