Comparative Study on the Effectiveness of School Management Teams’ Strategies on Conflict Resolution in Public and Private Secondary Schools in Arusha District, Tanzania

Kennedy Omondi Otieno
St. Augustine University of Tanzania (SAUT), Arusha.
Email: omondiken2016@gmail.com

Firmina Humri
Ilkiding’a Secondary School, Arusha.
Email: firminasarme@gmail.com

Abstract: This study investigated the effectiveness of School Management Teams’(SMTs’) strategies on conflict resolution in public and private secondary schools. Distributive Leadership Theory guided the study and Sequential Explanatory Design was employed to collect data in a sequential manner in which both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in phases. Correlational research design was also adopted and hypotheses were tested using Chi-square. Teachers were selected by stratified random sampling whiles MTs and school heads were conveniently and purposively selected from a population of 312 SMTs and 662 teachers from 39 publicand120 SMTs and 346 teachers from 15 private secondary schools. Questionnaire and structured interview were used to collect data. Cronbach coefficient alpha was employed to test for reliability of instruments; TQP= 0.737 & TQPr=0.721. Credibility of qualitative data was established through detailed reporting of the research process. Chi-square test for hypotheses was conducted using SPSS version 23. The study revealed that there is no significant difference on the strategies used by SMTs in conflict resolution between public and private secondary schools {H01; χ2 (4) = 5.028, p=0.284}. Similarly, there is no significant difference on the effectiveness of the SMTs’ strategies in conflict resolution between public and private secondary schools {H02; χ2 (2) = 3.611, p=0.164}. In conclusion, since p>0.05the null hypotheses are not rejected. This study recommends that school administrators and SMTs should receive continuous training and preparation on issues of leadership and conflict management upon appointment.