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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.
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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. |
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