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ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF DECENTRALISATION ON IMPROVEMENT OF TEACHERS’WORKING CONDITIONS: A CASE OF PANGANI PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS, TANZANIA
RUKIA FAKI KASEMBE
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN A PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OFTHE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF EDUCATION IN ADMINISTRATION, PLANNING AND POLICY STUDIES OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA
2017
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CERTIFICATION
The undersigned certifies that he/she has read and hereby recommends for acceptance by theOpen University of Tanzania, a dissertation titled “Assessment of the Role of Decentralisation on Improvement of Teachers Working Conditions: A case of PanganiPublic Secondary Schools, Tanzania”. In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Education in Administration, Planning and Policy Studies of the Open University of Tanzania
………………………………
Dr. M.Ogondieki
(Supervisor)
Date……………………..
COPYRIGHT
No part of this dissertation may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the author or the Open University of Tanzania in that behalf.
DECLARATION
I,Rukia Faki Kasembe, declare that this dissertation is my own original work and that it has not been submitted to any other university for a similar or any other degree award.
Signature…………………………
Date……………………………...
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Almighty God for his protection and guidance during my entire academic journey. My appreciation goes to my supervisor Dr M.Ogondieki for her time, guidance and constructive ideas which directed me towards theaccomplishment of my dissertation. I also appreciate the contribution of all my colleagues MED APPS class 2014/2015 specifically my faith group members for their encouragement in this entire time of my study.
I also appreciate all workers in DSEO office, all secondary schools teachers at Pangani District for their support, especially during data collection. My sincere appreciation goes to my beloved husbandBunyigeW.Chacha,my parents Mr. and Mrs.Kasembe,brothers, friends and my sister-in-law Lucia Chacha for their encouragement and support throughout my studies up to this stage.
God bless you all.
ABSTRACT
The general objective of this study was to investigate the role of decentralisationin theimprovement of teachers working conditions in public secondary schools in Pangani District. Specifically, the study was assessed how decentralisation of public secondary education has improved teachers working conditions, investigated of how local administrators managed to improve teachers working conditions, assessed teachers working conditions of the public secondary school in Pangani District. Qualitative and quantitative methods used and case study research design employed on deep assessing the role of decentralisation in theimprovement of teachers working conditions.The studyincluded 147 sample sizes and used simple random sampling in selecting respondents like teacher, parents, member of the school board and purposeful sampling in selecting respondents like heads of secondary school, DESO and TSD secretary. The questionnaire, documentary review and observation were used as instruments of collecting data. Decentralisation of education to some extentfailed to improve teachers working conditions,due to the existence ofdelaying on promotion for teachers, school infrastructures is not enough to facilitate teaching and learning activities, un sufficiency of teaching and learning materials, un sufficiency funds to run school activities, parents and member of the school board were not full participated in decision making. Recommendations for this study arethe government should, employenough competent and committed personnel at the local government,local government should make sure improves all school infrastructures, funds to the local government should be increased, parents and members of the school boards their participation should be encouraged.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CERTIFICATION
COPYRIGHT
DECLARATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
CHAPTER ONE…………………………………………………………………….
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
1.1Introduction
1.2Background to the Study
1.3 Statement of the Problem
1.4 Objectives of the Study
1.4.1 The General Objective
1.4.2 Specific Objectives
1.5Research Questions:
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Limitations of the Study
1.8 Delimitation of the Study.
1.9 Definition of Key Terms
1.10 Organization of the Dissertation
CHAPTER TWO…………………………………………………….…………….10
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Theories Guided the Study.
2.2.1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need Theory
2.2.2 Motivation- Hygiene Theory
2.3The Concept of Decentralisation
2.4 The Concept of Decentralisation on Education
2.5Historical Background of Education Decentralisation
2.6 Decentralisation of Education Sector in Tanzania.
2.7Forms of Decentralisation on Education
2.8Strengths of Education Decentralisation:
2.9Weakness of Decentralisation on Education
2.10Teachers Working Condition
2.11Conceptual Framework
2.12Empirical Studies
2.13 Research Gap
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1Introduction
3.2 Study Area
3.3 Research Design
3.4 Research Approach
3.5 Population
3.6 Sample Size.
3.7 Sampling Technique
3.7.1 Simple Random Sampling
3.7.2 Purposefully Sampling
3.8 Data Collection Methods
3.8.1 Questionnaire
3.8.2 Observation.
3.8.3 Documentation Review
3.9 Validity and Reliability of Instruments
3.9.1 Validity of Instruments
3.9.2 Reliability of Instruments
3.10Data Analysis.
3.11Ethical Consideration
CHAPTER FOUR………………………………………………………………….
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Education Level of the Respondents
4.3 Working Experience of the Respondents
4.4 Decentralisation and the Improvements of Teachers Working Conditions
4.4.1 Understanding the Concept of Decentralisation on Education
4.4.2 Decentralisation of Education and the Improvement of Teachers Working Conditions
4.4.3 Teachers Working Conditions and Students Performance
4.5 Local Administration and the Improvement of Teachers Working Conditions of the Public Secondary Schools.
4.5.1 Teachers Promotion
4.5.2 Ability of the Current Employer on the Improvements of Teachers Working Conditions.
4.6 Teachers Working Conditions of the Decentralised Public Secondary Schools
4.6.1 Teacher’s Students Ratio per Class
4.6.2 Availability of Enough School Infrastructures
4.6.3 Fund from Central Government
4.7 Members of the School Boards and Parents Towards to the Improvement of Teachers Working Conditions.
4.7.1 Participation of the Members of the School Boards and Parents towards the Improvement of Teachers Working Conditions.
4.8 Factors of Decentralisation on Secondary Education Which Enhance Good Working Conditions.
4.9 Challenges of Implementing Decentralisation on Education
4.10Solutions for Challenges on the Implementing of Decentralisation on education
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary of the Study
5.3The Major Findings of the Study
5.4Conclusion
5.5 Recommendations for Immediate Action.
5.5.1Decentralisation of Education and the Improvements of Teachers Working Conditions.
5.5.2 Local Administrations and the Improvement of Teachers Working Conditions
5.5.3 The Working Conditions of the Public Secondary Schools.
5.6 Recommendation for Further Study
REFERENCES
APPENDICES
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Sample size
Table 2: Education level of the respondents
Table 3: Working experience of teachers and heads of secondary schools
Table 4: Whether respondents understand the concept of decentralisation on education
Table5: Whether decentralisation of education improved teachers working conditions
Table 6: Whether the improvement of teachers working conditions contribute to the good academic performance of the students
Table7: Whether teacher have been promoted
Table 8: Whether promotion was done on time
Table 9: Reasons for not being promoted
Table10: Whether the current employer helped on the improvements of teachers working conditions
Table11: Indicators for current employer on the improvement of teachers working conditions
Table12: Reasons for current employer failure on the improvement of teachers working conditions
Table13: Teacher’s students’ ratio per class
Table14: Whether the available school infrastructures enough to facilitate teaching and learning activities
Table15: Whether school receive fund from central government
Table 16: Whether fund from the central government enough to run school activities
Table17: Management of school activities with shortage of funds
Table 18: Whether members of the school boards and parents participate in decision making towards to three improvement of teachers working conditions
Table 19: Ways of participation for the members of the school boards and parents to the improvements of teachers working conditions
Table 20: Discussed issues for members of the school boards and parents to the improvement of teachers working conditions
Table 21: Factors of Decentralisation on Secondary Education which enhance good Working Conditions for Teachers
Table 22: Challenges of decentralisation on Education
Table 23: Suggested solutions for challenges of education decentralisation
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework for the Study
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
CSOsCivil Society Organizations
D-by- D Decentralisation by Devolution
DEDDistrict Executive Director
DSEODistrict Secondary Education Officer
LGAs Local Government Authorities
LGRPLocal Government Reform programme
MED APPS Masters of Education, Administration, Planning and Policy Studies
MKUKUTA IMpango wa Kupambana naKupunguzaUmasikini Tanzania
MoEVT Ministry of Education and Vocational Training
NSGRP National Strategy for Growth Reduction of Poverty
OUT Open University of Tanzania
PhDDoctor of Philosophy
PRSPPublic Reform Services Programme
SEDPSecondary Education Development Plann
SPSSStatistical Package for Social Sciences
TASAFTanzania Social Action Fund
TSDTeachers Service Departments
URTUnited Republic of Tanzania
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
1.1Introduction
Decentralisation involves the transferring of powers and authority from the central governments to the local governments. Localadministrators supposed to create conducive working environments by assuring the presence of adequate teaching and learningmaterials, availability of the good and adequate school infrastructures, the presence of agood relationship between public secondary school teachers and local government administrators.
1.2Background to the Study
Decentralisation of education is very important for the improvement of the working conditions of the public secondary school teachers. Decentralisation involves transferring of power and authority from the central government to the local authorities so as to empower local authorities in decision-making, planning, implementation and evaluation process. According to Kiragu and Mambo (2001) under the system decentralisation employee has the opportunity to participate with their seniors in planning, monitoring and evaluating their performance; and openly commenting on their senior’s evaluation of their juniors and themselves.
In 1996 the central government launched the Local Government Reform Programme (LGRP) and consequently introduced Decentralization by Devolution (D-by-D) policy. The D-by-D policy aimed to transfer more power of making decisions, functional responsibilities, and resources from central government to the local government authorities (LGAs)(URT 2010).According to Maliyamkono and Mason (2006), the central government has no longer a key function of all governmental activities and the LGRP was spreading the decentralisation process. Central government mostly failed to improve secondary school teachers’ working conditionsand their living environments. This led the education sector experience frequent riot and strikes caused by teachers complaining about poor working conditions. As Hanson (2003) stated, “teachers and administrators to go through the self –interrogation process by asking core questions about theircondition of work, and personal consideration” (p.211). D by D policy was established by the government of Tanzania in 1998 as policy paper on LGRP in Tanzania with the overall objective of improving service delivery, by making local authorities more democratic and autonomous (Zilihona et al., 2011).The reform of the local government system has its background in anational conference that was held in 1996 called “Towards a Shared Vision for local Government in Tanzania”, this was formalised in the 1998 Policy Paper on Local Government Reform that spelt out a policy of D by D (Kathyola and Job, 2012).
D by Dcontinued to be implemented in 2005-2006when the government of Tanzania introduced National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty I (NSGRP I)which in Swahili is known as MKUKUTAI (Mpangowa Kupambana naKupunguzaUmasikini Tanzania)2005/06-2009/10). The strategy aimed to improve the standard of living and social welfare of the people including the improvement of education sector.According to (URT 2010) NSGRP I brought some success in theeducationsector,for instance, government in collaboration with communities 2,171 new public secondary schools were built in the last five years. These achievements of NSGRP I gave rise to challenges of thehuge demand for teachers,textbooks, science laboratories and teachers houses which neededto be solved especially during theimplementation of NSGRP II of 2010/11-2014/15 which also in Swahili is known MKUKUTA II. The government of Tanzania introduced NSGRP II with the same aims on the improvement of thestandards of living, good governance, accountability and social welfare in all sectors including education. Decentralisation of educationhas been influenced by Education and Training Policy (1995),Secondary Education Development Plan (SEDP), andother cross-sectoral programme like TASAF.
Many countries established decentralisation policy so as to meet the basic needs of the people after realising the central government is providing insufficient social services t to the society. Tilak (2003), “the government become fully sponsored and targeted oriented as a result of failure to generate enthusiasm among the people for greater effort” (p.74). For that case, the LGAs have the mandate to build school infrastructures and to improve teacher’s working conditions: including providing enough regular salaries and reliable means of communication to their leaders.
A researcher is more interesting on investigating the role of decentralisation of secondary education on theimprovement of working conditions for public secondary school teachers at Pangani District. Also to understand how the local administrators in the District improve the working conditions to their teachers and the relationship between teachers and community on resolving theacademic problems.
1.3Statement of the Problem
Decentralisation of education played greater roleson the improvements of teachers working conditions in public secondary schools if well implemented. This due to the fact that decentralisation of education is the best way of administering and managing of education systems to the local authorities simply because the central government to some extent failed to improve the working conditions forteachers, For example, the issue of delaying of new teachers to be included in payroll system,promotion, inadequate chance for in-service training, poor school infrastructures, as a result the working conditions in most of the public secondary schools becomes very worse. URT (1995) explained that in Tanzania teachers have experienced low and irregular salary payments, lack of proper housing, inadequate teaching and learning facilities, low status and limited opportunities for professional development. This may be caused by high concentration of powers and authority tocentral government. Therefore in order to provide development in the education sector and improvement of teachers working conditions, decentralisation of education policy is very important. According to Tilak (2003, p.72) “Community development can be real only when the community understands its problems, realises its responsibility, exercise the necessary powers through representatives and maintains a constant and intelligent vigilance on local administration”.D by D policy was introduced by the government of Tanzania in 1998 as a policy paper on Local Government Reform with the intention of improving services delivery in Tanzania including education sector by making local authorities more democratic and autonomous (Zilihona et al,2011).
Tidemand and Msami (2010),decentralisation by devolution was established aimed to strengthen the capacity and autonomy of LGAs by through creating good environment for the improvement of services delivery, increase their accountability to communities, to give users a greater say in how basic services are managed and delivered, develop more effective services delivery partnershipswith CSOs,public,and private sector.Fitriah (2010), School committees as an institutional channel mandated for community participation by theeducation decentralisation policy were not effective in representing parents in school management rather than using community participation for archiving their developmental goals.
However the governments of Tanzania endorsed and established the policy of decentralisation with the aims of improving services delivery including education,health,waterservices,this study aims to assess the role of decentralisation on theimprovement of teachers working conditions in public secondary school.
1.4Objectives of the Study
1.4.1 The General Objective
The General objectiveof the study was to investigate on how the role of decentralisation has improved teachers working conditions in public secondary schools
1.4.2 Specific Objectives
- To assess how the role ofdecentralisation of secondary education has improved teachers working conditions of the public secondary schoolsin Pangani District.
- To investigate how the local administrators managed to improve teachers working conditions of the public secondary schoolsin Pangani District.
- To assess teachers working conditions of the public secondary schoolsin Pangani District.
1.5Research Questions:
- To what extent the decentralisation of secondary education has improved teachers working conditions of the public secondary schoolsin Pangani District?
- What are the functions of the local administrators at Pangani District in improving teachers working conditions of the public secondary schools?
- What are the working conditions of the public secondary school teachers at Pangani District?
1.6 Significance of the Study
Researcher expected the study to fill the literature gap left by other researchers but also this study providedpotential information to be used by other researchers concerning the issue of decentralisation on education Moreover this study will help the education stakeholders such as theMinistry of education and vocational training (MoEVT), policy makers, and secondary school administrators to understand the challenges facing decentralisation of education and how to overcome those challenges as proposed by a researcher. Finally, this study will help the local administrators like DSEO, TSD secretary, heads of the school to fulfil well their responsibility so as to assure good working conditions to teachers.
1.7Limitations of the Study
In conducting this study a researcher faced some of the challenges which affected research activities. The following are the challenges; some respondents like parents, members of the school boards, and some few teachers had no idea ondecentralisation of education. Therefore researcher has to give them some insightsabout the issue before administering the questionnaires. Furthermore, bureaucratic procedures exist to some of the government offices, some of the respondentswere not easily accessible by a researcher for example DSEO,TSD secretary, because of the bureaucratic procedures existing in public office and being busy in strategic decision making. Researcherovercomes the problem of being busy by exposed questionnaire for one monthlyto the DSEO and TSD officer so as to give them more time in responding to the questionnaire.
Finally, financial problem was another limitation for aresearcher in conducting research due to the fact that researcher was self-sponsored and used only a monthly salary to meet all research cost.Researcher utilises well all monthly salary in research activities without spent any single sent in other activities.
1.8Delimitation of the Study.