Challenges Facing School Quality Assurance Officers in Enhancing Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Mwanga District, Tanzania

Cecilia A. Mritha and Dr. Daniel Onyango
Department of Education Foundations
St. Augustine University of Tanzania
Email: ceciliamrita@gmail.com & jumadan06@gmail.com

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.