Strategies for Improving Non-Formal Secondary Education for Adult Learners’ Career Development in the Rukwa Region, Tanzania

Abstract

The study examined the strategies for improving non-formal secondary education for adult learners’ career development in Rukwa Region, Tanzania. The study employed a mixed-methods approach and convergent research design. The study used a sample of 230 respondents. The non-formal secondary adult learners were randomly selected, while non-formal secondary adult learning centre coordinators were purposively sampled from Rukwa region. The data were collected through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics in terms of percentages and frequencies with the help of the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (v. 26). Thematic analysis was also conducted for qualitative data. The findings revealed the following strategies: extending a fee-free education policy to adults in NFSE. This was expected to address their financial constraints, which were preventing most of them from attending classes. Similarly, a special curriculum designed for adults in ordinary secondary education was thought to make the content manageable for adults who were characterised by ageing and multiple roles. The digital systems for adult learning were proposed to reduce the gap between adult working and learning, home and school, and convert adult learning into something more flexible in time and space. The study recommends adapting the NFSE curriculum to adult learners' career needs by providing fee-free education, specialised centers, and online learning. Policies should address adult learners’ challenges, while stakeholder collaboration ensures sustainable programmes. Career guidance and skills training will enhance self-efficacy and link learning to career advancement, supporting Andragogy Theory and SCCT. Further studies should be developed focusing on how delivery modes, socio-economic factors, and gender influence adult learners’ NFSE outcomes and long-term career development in Tanzania.