Perception of School Management Committees on Community Participation in Education among Primary Schools in Tanzania

Abstract

This study focused on the perceptions of school committee members on the importance of community participation in education among public primary schools in Rorya District.  The study employed a mixed research methods design which included structured questionnaires and focus group discussions to be able to collect both quantitative and qualitative data.  The questionnaires were validated by the experts in the field, and the pilot study was conducted in order to establish the acceptable reliability.  As a result, a Cronbach’s Alpha of above 0.7 was established in each variable.  The study revealed that community participation was not making a meaningful impact in education among public primary schools for Rorya District; the role played by the community was ineffective and therefore, inadequate to provide sustainability in public primary.  The challenges community participation faced were mainly due to the factors related to the inadequate capacity of the SMCs to carry out their responsibilities effectively. Therefore, the study concluded that the SMCs have limited knowledge: of the importance of engaging community in education; of the role played by community in education; and the challenges community faced in engaging in education for public primary schools in Rorya District; further the study revealed that there was a positive relationship between the perceptions of the SMCs on the role played by the community and their perceptions on the challenges they faced as pertained to participation in education.  The study recommends that the local government should raise awareness among the SMCs and the community for effective engagement in education.