Dissertation (MA Education)This study assessed the Leadership Challenges in Public Secondary Schools in Tanzania: Implication for Female Heads of Schools in Mtwara Municipality. The study deployed a cross sectional design where mixed approach with dominantly qualitative guided the operation of this study. The study employed feminist leadership theory and behavioral leadership theory. Purposive and simple random sampling gave twenty nine participants participated in this study. Data were analyzed through Transcend analysis plan that involves three stages; data reduction, data display hence verification of the conclusion. The study found that cultural factors, unsupportive work environment, inferiority complex and lack of confidence, involvement of politics in educational leadership and insufficient resources were explained as challenges faced female leaders in schools not to attend their leadership roles effectively. However, talking to teachers, seeking community support, insisting on rules and regulations, involving MSEO office as policy implementers and ignoring harmless issues were some of the suggested strategies to handle school leadership challenges faced female heads of school when attending leadership roles in their schools. Therefore, the most used leadership approaches in leading public secondary schools by headmistresses are participatory, democratic, consultative, directive, situational and human relation. Based on the findings, it was recommended that all educational stakeholders would positively perceive, support and help female heads of school to establish network to share experiences on the challenges faced and find way to handle them. For further research, highly recommended to be studied on different area, methodology and using different sample