Abstract: The study focused on the management strategies of principals on learners’ academic achievement, despite government funding being similar, schools in Nyamira North sub-county perform below average. The study was guided by two objectives: assessing the principal management of infrastructural facilities and financial resources on learners’ academic achievement. Systems theory was used; descriptive research design was employedd. Data collected by questionnaires and interviews schedule. The target population was 54 principals and 580 teachers. A sample size of 16 principals was purposively sampled, and 163 teachers were randomly sampled. The study used stratified sampling,purposive and simple random sampling. Multiple linear regression technique was used in sampling. Data was collected and analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Pilot study and University experts assisted in validating the instruments while reliability was measured by test-retest method and the scores obtained were applied on Cronbach alpha to a certain the recommended threshold coefficient of ≥ 0.7. Quantitative data was analysed by use of descriptive statistics inform of frequencies, averages, percentiles using SPSS while qualitative data inferential statistics was used. Quantitative data was presented on tables and graphs while for qualitative was presented in form of narratives where main ideas were quoted. The researcher also upholds the ethical consideration of the respondentsts, the study conclude that efficient management of resources has a positive impact on learners’ academic achievement. The study recommended that the Ministry of Education and school leaders should ensure sufficient funding is offered for renewal of infrastructural facilities to enhance student learning.

Aloyce Luhamya – Department of Education, Institute of Accountancy, Arusha

Email: harunaabadan@gmail.com

Abstract: This study examined the influence of democratic leadership style on students’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Tabora Municipality, Tanzania. Guided by Participative Leadership Theory and grounded in pragmatism, the study employed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing a convergent parallel research design. The study involved 218 respondents, comprising teachers, heads of schools, and students obtained using random and purposeful sampling techniques. Quantitative data were collected using structured questionnaires administered to teachers, while qualitative data were obtained through interviews with heads of schools and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with students. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, and thematic analysis for quantitative and qualitative respectively. The results indicated a strong positive relationship between democratic leadership style and students’ academic performance (r = 0.73, p < 0.05). The findings suggest that school leaders should adopt motivational and inclusive practices, maintain supportive and well-resourced environments, and engage stakeholders to optimize students’ academic performance.

Abstract: The Kenyan system of learning has heavily been reliant on examination results. Performance at Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Kiambu County over the years has been dismal. Despite the fact that most national schools are located in the County and consistently achieve excellent KCSE results, the 2022 KCSE analysis reveals that more than 50% of the 261 secondary schools in the County posted a mean standard score of less than 3.0. Thus, the current study was guided by a research question; What is the influence of teacher’s level of self-efficacy on learners’ academic achievement in public secondary schools in Kiambu County? Ryff’s psychology model was used and complemented by the Production
function theory. The study employed a concurrent triangulation research design and conducted in public secondary schools in Kiambu County, Kenya with a target population of 116,333 individuals. The sample consisted of 23 principals (10%), 261 teachers (10%) and 3854 students. Data collection utilized interviews for principals, questionnaires for teachers, and observation guides for students, and supplemented by document analysis. The research revealed significant variations in teachers’ personal qualities and their impact on learner achievement in public secondary schools in Kiambu County. While some teachers expressed a desire for change and improvement, others seemed unaffected by these concerns, highlighting challenges in addressing personal stagnation among educators. Notably, the quality of teachers’ relationships with others emerged as a key factor influencing learner academic achievement, with approximately 70.3% of variations attributed to this aspect.

Abstract: The study aimed to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on self-efficacy enhancement strategies while providing practical insights. Employing a structured qualitative survey, the research explored the experiences, perceptions, and challenges encountered by female engineering students at ULK Polytechnic Institute in their academic journey, with a particular focus on self-efficacy beliefs. The sample comprised 22 first-year students chosen for their willingness to engage in interventions aimed at improving self-efficacy, ensuring a varied representation of academic performance and backgrounds. Through comprehensive data collection and analysis, the study showed a range of self-efficacy perceptions among participants, highlighting the influence of individual experiences and support networks on confidence levels. Importantly, interactions with faculty, peers, and mentors emerged as pivotal factors influencing students’ confidence in their engineering abilities. Recommendations included the implementation of mentorship programs, raising inclusive learning environments, and organizing workshops to strengthen confidence and resilience among female engineering students. The study further emphasized the significant contribution of practical learning experiences to enhancing self-efficacy levels in engineering education.

Abstract: The study investigated the role of inspection on academic achievement of Anglican Church of Uganda primary Schools in Eastern region of Uganda. The study aimed at getting a clear view on the importance of school inspection on academic achievement, the challenges hindering School Inspection and the possible effective ways to improve on the challenges hindering School Inspection on academic achievement of Anglican Church of Uganda founded primary Schools in Eastern Region of Uganda. Descriptive research design was used during data collection and analysis. The findings revealed that school Inspection is important on academic achievement in the following ways: ensures that high standards are maintained and there is continuity of development in the education system. Some of the challenges hindering School Inspection were insufficient resources to support the work of inspectors, lack of professional persons to do the work and absence of materials to be used (tools) for inspection of schools. The possible effective ways to improve the challenges hindering the role of school Inspectors in schools were training of inspectors and provision of monitoring and inspection tools. The study recommends the government to commit its resources towards school inspectorate department for effective monitoring of the quality education provided. The Anglican Church of Uganda should empower the inspectorate department and support them to carry out inspection to all Schools founded and sponsored by the Church. The District Education Officer in partnership with the Church should make use of the inspection findings and recommendations to improve performance.

Abstract: Children who have experienced physical and sexual violence are at risk for a variety of physical, mental, behavioural, and social issues that can lead to drug abuse and academic failure. However, how children perceive physical and sexual violence is unknown. This study, therefore, explores primary school pupils’ awareness of physical and sexual violence in the three selected schools in Moshi district, in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. This study employed a mixed approach whereby interviews and questionnaires were used as data collection tools. Random sampling technique was utilized to select 92 students from three primary schools as the study’s sample unit, while a purposeful sampling technique was employed to select 12 key informants (6 teachers and 6 parents) from the total population. The findings have revealed that pupils had limited knowledge of the physical and sexual violence they faced. However, some participating schools employed various approaches to enable students to become aware about physical and sexual violence. The approaches included interactive seminars and age-appropriate educational materials. The study’s findings can help to design intervention strategies to end sexual and physical violence against students in primary schools in Tanzania and to improve their wellbeing.

Abstract: This study examined parents’ strategies for enhancing academic achievement among secondary school students in Dodoma City Council- Tanzania. The study used Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. The study used mixed method approach, and data were collected through interviews and questionnaires. The findings have revealed that children who were motivated by their parents at home were more disciplined and achieved well in their studies at school. The study also revealed that stimulated home environment affected children’s personality and their interpersonal relationships. These students who come from positive and stimulating home environments also appeared to achieve better in their academic performance than those who come from the poor and unstimulated home environments. The study recommends that parents need to create a good and supportive home environment to enable their children develop well personally and achieve well academically at school. To achieve this, there is a need to educate parents on the important role they should play such as close supervision of their children at home to ensure good success of their children’s education.

Abstract: This study assessed the effects of the home environmental factors on students’ academic achievement in secondary schools in Dodoma city, in the Dodoma region – Tanzania. The study was qualitative in nature whereby data were collected through interviews and observations. The findings indicated that, excessive household chores such as cooking, collecting firewood, fetching water and taking care of siblings, to mention just a few, had significant negative impact on students’ achievement at school. These home activities hindered students to study at home as they lacked ample time to concentrate on their studies, which led to poor attendance and performance at school. The study also revealed that sometimes students failed to concentrate during class due to tiredness. Additionally, the study revealed that poor family income, low level of parents’ education, parents’ conflicts and divorce, poor supervision at home, and long distance from home to school negatively affected students’ academic achievement. The study recommends that parents need to be educated on how they can create a supportive home environment for the academic success of their children. The study also recommends the need of strengthening parent-school cooperation, supervising and motivating children at home when they perform better in their studies.

Abstract: This study examined how students performed academically after experiencing sexual abuse. The study used a phenomenological research design and a qualitative approach. The target audience consisted of students who are sexually abused, academic instructors, school counsellors, ward education officers, statistical and logistical officers, police officers, and social workers. All provided information that was gathered. The professional participants were chosen using the purposive sampling approach. Semi-structured interviews, observation, and document analysis were conducted from all participants to gather data. The results indicated that the majority of the abused learners underperformed as a result of sexual abuse and developed a fear of everyone around them, which disturbed their academic performance. Some developed an antisocial personality and a misguided annoyed attitude. The study concludes that students in public secondary schools who have experienced child sexual abuse do worse academically. According to the study’s findings, parents, school administrators, and teachers should collaborate when treating abused students to assist them in overcoming their difficulties and enhancing their social and academic performance. In addition, the education stakeholders and relevant ministries (Police, Child and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Education and Training) should assist in decreasing child abuse from the grassroots level.

Abstract: Despite the government’s efforts to introduce a conducive learning environment by providing enough teaching and learning resources, the psychological needs of learners are crucial. In creating a healthy environment for learners to achieve their academic goals professional counselors in secondary schools must be brought to the foreground. A qualitative approach with a narrative study design was employed. The selected population were sexually abused learners, school counselors, academic teachers, a ward education officer, Statistical and logistical officers, police officers, and social workers. The professional participants were purposely selected and sexually abused learners were voluntarily selected. Semi -structured interviews, observation, and documentation were used as an instrument for data collection and data were analyzed thematically. From the findings, it has been known that professional participants understood the importance of having a professional counselor. While learners themselves do not know the existence of school counselors, as a result, they fail to get assistance and endure a painful experience that affects their academic performance. It is recommended that the school should capacitate learners’ awareness of the availability of counseling services around the school. The government should increase the number of professional counselors in secondary schools by considering the number of learners in those schools and provide a sound environment by supplying educational resources and infrastructure for counseling to take place.