Contribution of teachers’ continuous improvement to enhancing pupils’ academic achievement in Tanzania’s primary schools

Abstract

The application of continuous improvement theory to teachers’ professional development in primary schools generally contributes positively to pupils’ academic achievement. This cross-sectional study examined the contribution of school-based and self-based teachers’ continuous improvement to pupils’ academic achievement while considering urbanisation and pupil-to-teacher ratio (PTR) as supporting contexts. The study utilised data collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 78 teachers drawn using stratified sampling from approximately 872 teachers, which were then analysed using multiple linear regression with the aid of SPSS. The study revealed that school-based teachers’ continuous improvement, as well as the context, each makes a significant positive contribution to pupils’ achievement. However, the continuous improvement of self-based teachers does not significantly contribute to pupils' achievement. The study recommends that policymakers place more emphasis on school-based teachers’ continuous improvement, urbanisation, and a PTR of at most 40:1, rather than self-based teachers’ continuous improvement.