The Nature of Teacher Professional Misconduct in Tanzanian Public Primary Schools: The Case of Sumbawanga Municipal and Rural Districts

Abstract

This paper investigates the nature of teacher professional misconduct in Tanzanian public primary schools. It involves views and/or experience from different groups of stakeholders in education in Rukwa Region, more specifically in Sumbawanga Municipal and Rural Districts. The paper employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches which were informed by a case study design. Data relevant to this paper were collected through interviews, questionnaires, document analysis, and observation checklists. The paper reveals that, first; teacher professional misconduct was prevalent in both rural and urban settings in Rukwa Region with some variation in terms of type, cause, and frequency. Secondly, the variation of teacher misconduct in schools was greatly influenced by teacher’s sex, work experience, and level of education. In view of the research findings recounted, the paper concludes that teacher misconduct is a problem of great concern in both rural and urban schools that affects teachers’ work performance, the teaching, and learning process, and the quality of education at large.