Status of Secondary School Libraries under the Secondary Education Development Plan: A Case Study of Dodoma Municipality, Tanzania

Abstract

This study was undertaken in Dodoma Municipal, Tanzania in order to assess the development and status of school library services under the Secondary Education Development Plan (SEDP). The study involved 44 secondary schools, 186 teachers, 44 heads of schools, 16 school librarians, one Regional Education Officer, and one Region Librarian. Data were collected through a survey method using a questionnaire that has both closed and open-ended items, as well as through interviews and observation. The study found that only 16 (36%) out of 44 secondary schools had libraries, while during SEDP implementation period, no public school and only one private school established a library out of the 27 schools that did not have libraries at the beginning plan period. In the schools with libraries, only 11 (69%) of them had separate buildings for the library, while only seven (44%) had trained librarians. The study concluded that, despite SEDP, school library services were generally poor as most schools lacked libraries, or lacked information resources and staff. It is recommended that in order to improve the quality of school library services, the Tanzania government should enforce its regulation requiring every registered school to have a library.