Conceptions of Sustainability of Open Schools in Offering Quality Secondary Education in Tanzania

Abstract

This paper examines the conceptions of sustainability of open schools in offering quality secondary education to complement the conventional education  system in Tanzania. Data were collected through interviews with 35 participants who comprised 20 adult learners, five open school co- ordinators and 10 facilitators who were purposively selected. Data were thematically analysed. The findings indicate that, limited learner support services  were a major impediment for the sustainability of open secondary schools in offering quality secondary education. Further, lack of qualified  facilitators, library facilities, study centres, academic guidance and counselling services have adversely affected the learners’ academic performance in  open schools. The paper recommends that open schools must invest substantively in robust and facilitative learner-support services for learners who are  unable to obtain secondary education in conventional secondary schools.