Abstract: The study assessed the challenges that school quality assurance officers (SQAOs) face in enhancing academic performance in public secondary schools in Mwanga district, Tanzania. Convergent parallel research design under a mixed methods research approach was used. The total sample size was 284 respondents from 12 public secondary schools in Mwanga district. Respondents included 12 heads of schools, 8 SQAOs and 264 teachers. Both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used; in particular, probability sampling to obtain public secondary schools, heads of schools and teachers, while non-probability sampling technique was used in getting school quality assurance officers. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect cross-sectional data. The study found that SQAOs face challenges such as lack of adequate motivation, inadequate quality assurance facilities, teachers’ unwillingness to accept and implement recommendations from SQAOs, lack of training on current quality assurance skills, and a limited timeframe to carry out quality assurance activities. The study concluded that despite these challenges, the academic performance and the overall teaching and learning process in public secondary schools are satisfactorily influenced by the quality assurance strategies as employed by SQAOs. As a result, the study recommends that educational stakeholders, particularly policymakers and school leaders, ensure that quality assurance officers have adequate skills and knowledge, are properly motivated, accepted by teachers, and have an adequate timeframe to carry out quality assurance activities.

Abstract: In Kenya, death by suicide or suicide attempt is a criminal offence according to the penal code 226 of section 36 of the Kenyan constitution. In the spiritual dimension, it is considered to attract eternal damnation and special burial rites are performed for persons who die by suicide. Culture treats death by suicide as a taboo and punitive burial rites are taken with the survivor families taking the consequences of such actions. This may impact on holding open, rational and objective discussions on prevention and intervention on deaths by suicide. However, the rise in cases of suicide is a concern, while knowledge and understanding of causes, prevention and effective intervention strategies is limited especially to the significant persons in the community who could be instrumental in such programs. This paper therefore seeks to review the concept of death by suicide, the irony surrounding its definition and legal dimension. It also explores the dilemmas therein and specifically discusses the possible preventive strategies by adopting cultural, social, psychological and spiritually sensitive interventions. This was a desktop review that reviewed literature by utilizing general and specific search engines. Key words guided the search and helped to narrow the scope. Recommendations have also been made for the government, community and to individuals in preventing death by suicide.