Description:
Teachers’ low commitment has currently been reflected in ever decreasing of education quality
due to poor students’ ability and performance as seen in National Examination Council of
Tanzania (NECTA) results provided by the ministry of education and vocational training. The
study focused on the contribution of heads of schools in influencing teachers’ commitment
to work in public secondary schools particularly in Biharamulo district” having four
objectives: Identifying factors influencing teachers’ commitment at school level; determining the
relationship between roles of school heads and other factors influencing teachers’ commitment;
determining the contribution of heads of schools and collect suggestions for improvement. The
researcher used the path goal theory because it emphasizes on how leaders can facilitate task
performance by showing subordinates how performance can be instrumental in achieving desired
goals.
Methodological section comprised both quantitative and qualitative methods based on
questionnaires administered to 65 teachers and unstructured interviews for 5 school heads and
District Education Officer (DEO) enabling primary data collection. The stated sample size (71)
was sampled using both simple random and purposive sampling techniques.
Findings revealed that among factors influencing teachers’ commitment to work in public
secondary schools at school level, managerial factor was dominant while other factors included:
personal, environmental and traditional factors.
It was recommended that; researchers should conduct studies on the relationship between
resources and teachers’ commitment to work in Public secondary schools in Tanzania and that
xvii
school-heads should engage in democratic leadership more often so as to make teachers feel free
and part of the institution.
Conclusively, heads of schools contributed through planning, directing, organizing, controlling,
supporting and liaison in trying to positively influence teachers’ commitment to work in public
secondary schools