The purpose of this study was to assess the role of participatory planning and decision making in Tanzania community secondary schools. The study was conducted under four research objectives. These were; To determine how educational stakeholders are involved in the process of planning and decision making in Tanzania community secondary schools, To assess the effectiveness of participatory planning and decision making in Tanzania community secondary schools, To identify factors that hinder educational stakeholders effectiveness participating in planning and decision making in Tanzania community secondary schools, To explore the views of stakeholder‟s suggestions for improving participatory planning and decision making in Tanzania community secondary schools. The study employed mixed research approach, and triangulation design particularly methodological triangulation. Questionnaire was the main instrument of data collection in addition to interview guide. Simple random sampling was used to select teachers, systematic sampling was used to select community secondary schools, students were convenience selected and purposive sampling was used to select parents in Tabora municipal council in which the study was conducted. The major findings of the study were; educational stakeholders are not effectively involved in planning and decision making at schools because they implement what they did not plan. Also educational stakeholders are not satisfied with the current participation in planning and decision making at schools, and most primary educational stakeholders were excluded from planning and decision making in schools. xvi The study came up with the following conclusions based on the study findings; findings revealed that the scarcity and unavailability of management information in terms of processes, structures and opportunities for participation to education stakeholders undermines their capacity to engage effectively in planning, and management of schools. On the other hand, the absence of critical information and failure to implement decentralization policy of decision making in education, greatly limit the degree to which, parents, local communities, children, teachers, and civil society groups to influence management and decision making processes and make legitimate demands to improve quality of education. The study also proposed some recommendations based on the findings; Increasing the role of participatory planning and decision making in management and governance in education, participatory planning and decision making requires support from many stakeholders at various levels, there is a need for the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to provide required resources particularly fund for enhancing educational stakeholders‟ capacity building, seminars and workshops as well as other incentives, strengthening policy influencing stakeholders (mainly teachers, parents, children, education officials, community leaders) to play an effective role in jointly deciding priorities, designing interventions and monitoring the implementation of school plans and budgets and Building Community Capacity for local-level decision making In order to build a community for policy reform, and to create sustained pressure for change.