Improving Teacher-Pupil Ratio In Secondary Schools In Tanzania A Case Study Of Mw Anza Region.

ABSTRACT

The study aimed at finding means of solving the increasing teacher-pupil- ratio in

secondary schools in Tanzania using Mwanza region as a case study area.

The researcher used questionnaires and interviews as tools of data collection; these were

administered to Students, teachers and education officers who were the source of data

collection.

The population of the study consisted of 49,509 people of which 268 consisted the

sample. !

In the study the following four factors were revealed as major causes of the high and ever

increasing teacher-pupil-ratio.

(i) Poor salary of teachers

(ii) Poor teachers condition of service

(iii) Dictatorship of the administrators

(iv) Lack of prestige to teaching professional

A Degree holder teacher is paid Tshs 157,500 while a lawyer of the same qualification is

i. paid Tshs. 450,000 monthly.

I

Most teachers work in areas where there are no social services like transport, hospitals,

housing etc. while other professionals like lawyers and bankers work in towns and cities

where the mentioned social services are available.

School teachers are not involved in decision making about education matters. Politicians

usually decide on educational matters while other professions like lawyers, their matters

are set by the professional lawyers themselves. ·

Teaching is considered a threat by most of the members of the society, while other professionals are considered as noble professions.

The researcher had the following recommendations towards solving the problem:

(i) To improve teacher~ salary from Tshs 157,500 to Tshs 500,000 per month.

(ii) Improving rural environments by providing social services such as housing, hospitals roads, etc.

(iii) Involvement of subject teachers in decision making about education matters (iv) The government should sponsor students who offer education courses