Perceptions Of Educational Stakeholders On The Implementation Of Fee-Free Education In Public Secondary Schools In Tanzania: A Case Of Sumbawanga Municipality

ABSTRACT

This study examined the perception of education stakeholders on the implementation of Fee-free Educational policy in public secondary schools in Tanzania. The study employed a qualitative approach. Furthermore, the study employed an exploratory case study design in data collection. The Goal-setting theory founded by Locke (1968) was adopted to guide the study. Data was collected from 65 respondents through questionnaire, interview, and Focused Group Discussion. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings revealed that there is a positive understanding of stakeholders on Fee-free Education policy in the community. The findings also revealed that the implementation of Fee-free Education policy has led to high enrollment rate in secondary schools. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the implementation of Fee-free education had encountered some challenges, which include misconception of community on Fee- free Education, inadequate number of teachers, inadequate furniture, inadequate classrooms and toilets. Moreover, the findings revealed that stakeholders have taken several steps to improve the implementation of Fee-free Education policy through educating the society on Feefree Education, voluntary contributions on improving the quality of education provision and introducing some of the school projects to support income generation. Furthermore, the study concludes that stakeholders had positive understanding on fee-free education, also it has increased the enrollment of students in school to a large extent. Despite of the challenges, the fee-free education policy has created a room for students from poor families to access education free from school fees. Recommendations made by the respondents on this study were as follows: the government should employ new teachers to reduce the teaching load in schools; there should be provision of food for students in schools and policy amendment has to be made to address the contributions of parents to be mandatory and not voluntary.