Strategic Approaches to Streaming in Secondary Education: Insights from Teachers and Students on Balancing Lower and Higher Achiever Needs

Abstract

This study explores the attitudes of teachers and students regarding strategies for improving current streaming practices in secondary schools in Kilolo District, Tanzania. Streaming involves categorizing students into groups based on their academic abilities, but the practice, particularly the reduction of subjects for lower achievers, has raised concerns about its effectiveness. The study adopted a qualitative research design and was conducted between January and July 2024. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with 20 teachers and 96 students from four public secondary schools in Kilolo District. Simple random sampling was applied to teachers, whereby stratified sampling was applied to group lower and higher achiever students, followed by simple random sampling from each group stratified. The schools were chosen through simple random sampling where the names of all 34 schools were written on different pieces of paper and only four papers were selected to get schools for study. Trustworthiness and credibility was ensured by member checking. The findings revealed that while teachers acknowledged the benefits of streaming for tailoring instruction, they expressed concerns about its potential to exacerbate educational inequities. Students, particularly lower achievers, reported feelings of confidence and great hope on academic success due to streaming involving subject reduction. Both teachers and students proposed strategies for improvement, such as flexible streaming practices, enhanced teacher training, and equitable resource distribution across all streams. In conclusion, the study highlights the need for a more inclusive and dynamic approach to streaming, ensuring that all students, regardless of academic ability, receive equal opportunities for success. These insights can guide educational policy reforms to improve the effectiveness of streaming in Tanzanian secondary schools.