Contribution of Service Delivery to Students’ Enrolment in Public Secondary Schools in Busega District, Tanzania

This study examined the contribution of service delivery to students’ enrolment in public secondary schools in Busega District, Tanzania. The study was guided by the need to understand how the quality and responsiveness of educational services influence parents’ decisions to enroll their children and students’ retention in public secondary schools. A mixed-methods approach with a predominantly quantitative orientation and an explanatory research design was employed. The study targeted 655 respondents from 30 public secondary schools, from whom a sample of 104 respondents was selected, comprising 85 teachers, 6 heads of schools, 6 Ward Education Officers, 1 District Education Officer, and 6 school board chairpersons. Data were collected using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and observation. Validity was established through expert and supervisor review, while reliability was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha, which yielded a coefficient of 0.916 for 20 questionnaire items. Quantitative data were analysed using frequencies and percentages through SPSS version 26, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. The results showed that service delivery played an important role in contributing to student enrolment. More specifically, the majority of teachers were in agreement or strongly in agreement that effective academic service delivery contributed to increased enrolment. Moreover, they noted that quality teaching and learning contributed to the decision making of parents on enrolment of their children and that educational support services in time contributed to enrolment. Also, teachers noted that effective administrative services attracted many students and that effective service delivery generally contributed to student enrolment and retention. Another finding from open-ended questions showed that effective school-community relations and sufficient learning facilities played an important role in student enrolment. The study concluded that quality, timely, and responsive service delivery strengthened school reputation, parental confidence, students’ retention, and enrolment. The study recommends that Busega District Council and school authorities improve teaching and learning services, strengthen students’ support and administrative systems, enhance school-community partnerships, provide adequate infrastructure, and maintain safe and supportive learning environments to increase students’ enrolment in public secondary schools