| dc.description |
This study was carried out to examine the role of school inspection in improving
academic performance in community secondary schools in Tanzania using sampled
public schools in Bariadi District as a case study. The school inspections were those
carried from 2008 – 2014. The study was guided by three specific objectives which
were; to assess the teachers’ perception on school inspection activity, to explore how the
recommendations in inspection reports are implemented by schools and other authorities
and to examine the challenges that inspectors face in the whole process of inspection.
The study adopted a descriptive case study design. The target population for this
research was teachers, students, heads of schools and school board members drawn from
four secondary schools, namely Old Maswa, Nkololo, Gasuma and Byuna. Inspectors
were also involved as well as the District Education Officer. It was from this population
that 107 respondents were sampled through purposive and simple random techniques.
Both primary and secondary data were collected. Primary data were collected using
questionnaires and interview while secondary data were obtained through reviewing
reports available.
The findings revealed that, school inspection is not effective in improving academic
performance since first of all it not done as it was seen, that only one school among four
schools was inspected once, since 2008 to 2014. Secondly, the school that was inspected,
the recommendations were not worked upon effectively. Most of teachers view school
inspection negatively and there are many challenges that inspectors face. Such
challenges include lack of the authority to punish teachers who fail to adhere to the way
they should teach, transport problems, fewness of inspectors as compared to the number
of schools and poor budget. All these make school inspection not deliver as it is
supposed.
It is concluded that school inspection has not improved academic performance because it
is not done at all and that when done its recommendations are not worked upon such that
schools continue performing poorly. Academic performance in community secondary
schools is very poor. This poor academic performance is also contributed by other
factors like poor working conditions of teachers, absence of libraries, books,
laboratories, insufficient teachers just few to mention.
The researcher recommends that school inspection has to be improved since it is the
authority that is supposed to ensure that there is high education quality in Tanzania. |
|