The aim of the study was to analyze the challenges facing implementation of free education policy in Tanzania among selected Public Primary Schools in Babati Town. The study used descriptive research design by applying quantitative research approach. Teachers were selected using total population sampling. Since the study involved only 13 schools, it was easy to collect data from all 147 teachers. The data collection instruments were validated by expert judgement from University of Arusha Research Board. Moreover, a pilot study was done and the tool was revised accordingly. The data was coded in SPSS software and descriptive analysis was used to collect data. The first objective was about teaching based challenges faced by teachers under the current policy of free education at public primary schools. The overall finding shows the teaching based challenges have exponentially increased as seen in the shortage of classrooms, availability of large number of students in small classrooms and making it harder for teachers to facilitate crowded classrooms. The second objective was geared to describe management-based challenges faced by heads of schools under the current policy of free education. The overall findings show that head teachers worked in harder environments as compared to when the free education policy was not in operation. It is recommended that the government of Tanzania should increase education funding in order to make free education policy relevant. Also it is further recommended that the government should give clear explanation of what free education is all about in order to make parents be willing to support schools through material and moral support.

This study sought to establish the effects of school’s management on teachers’ commitment among public secondary schools in Arusha City. The study employed quantitative research approach in collecting and analyzing data in that closed ended questionnaire was filled by 140 randomly selected teachers. Data for the first and second research questions on school management effectiveness and teachers’ commitment was analyzed through descriptive statistics while the third research question was analyzed through Pearson Correlations. The findings revealed that management in schools under investigation is effective and teachers are committed toward accomplishment of school goals. Secondly, the study revealed a significant relationship between school management effectiveness and teacher’s commitment. This study recommends that the management in schools under investigation should enhance management effectiveness in order to realize improved teachers’ commitment which is essential for academic performance and realization of school goals and objectives.

No abstract

It is arguably clear that regardless of one's philosophical orientation, sometimes change cannot be avoided. On the same vein, the change of curriculum in educational sector has become irresistible almost everywhere. The aim of the paper has been to critique Tanzania Educational Philosophy using Ornstein's view (Ornstein, Pajak and Ornstein (2011:1-9); the choice of this work is based on credibility in curriculum studies. The findings indicate that curriculum change can never be avoided. The paper also focused on how traditional curriculum has not only changed, but also co-exists with contemporary curriculum. It has also been made evident that the curriculum in Tanzania has a lot of ‘patches’, and this may have given room for the recent massive Form Four failures. It is also true that recurrent threats to strike and even the last year strike by teachers are indicators that the curriculum needs thorough review. The paper further recommends the work of curriculum review should be not the sole responsibility of Tanzania Institute of Education (TIE) but all stakeholders. The process of curriculum review should receive almost an equal emphasis as the constitutional review.

No abstract