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.
Keywords: adults, learner-support services, open schools, quality
secondary education, youth