Contribution of Parents-Teachers Platform’s Fundraising Strategy to Enhance Financial Sustainability of Public Secondary Schools in Moshi District Council, Tanzania

Abstract

The study investigated the contribution of the parents-teachers platform fundraising strategy in enhancing the financial sustainability of public secondary schools in Moshi District Council, Tanzania. The study was guided by Resource Dependence Theory and employed convergent design under a mixed-method research approach. The target population included 61 public secondary schools, 61 heads of schools, 1327 teachers, 122 parents, and 1 District Secondary Education Officer (DSEO). The study used purposive sampling (total population sampling), Simple random sampling, and stratified random sampling techniques. The study sample size was 12 public secondary schools, 12 heads of schools, 144 teachers, 12 parents who are members of the school board and members of parents' teacher's platform, and 1 District Secondary Education Officer (DSEO). The study used questionnaires, interview guides, and document analysis guides for data collection. Instruments validity was ensured by MWECAU research experts. A pilot test was conducted in two secondary schools in Moshi district council. Cronbach's alpha assessed questionnaire reliability where r was 0.721 (r = .721), while that of qualitative was established through peer debriefing and triangulation. Descriptive statistics analyze quantitative data, while thematic analysis examines qualitative data. The study adhered to ethical considerations throughout the research process. A study found that the parents-teachers platform in some Tanzanian schools was not effectively using fundraising to improve financial sustainability. Teachers reported a lack of engagement with the community, alumni, and local businesses for donations. The study concluded that there is a lack of engagement of local businesses and alumni and insufficient utilization of social media and crowdfunding for fundraising purposes. The study recommended the improvement of fundraising strategies by engaging local businesses and the wider community for better financial sustainability.