Abstract: This study assessed teachers’ autonomy in carrying out delegated responsibilities in public secondary schools in Mlimba District Council, Tanzania. The study used mixed method and descriptive research design. The sample for the study was made up of 62 respondents made up of 49 teachers, 8 Heads of Schools and 5 Ward Education Officers. The teachers were selected by simple random sampling and the Heads of Schools and the Ward Education Officers were selected by purposive sampling. The questionnaires and interview guides were used for data collection and frequencies and percentages for quantitative analysis and thematic analysis for qualitative data. The results showed that teachers in general enjoyed a good level of autonomy when working with delegated tasks, especially in making decisions, implementing delegated tasks more or less independently, and exercising professional autonomy. Some teachers, however, reported limited authority and administrative interference, and there was a strong emphasis placed on accountability for delegated authority. The study found that the level of autonomy of teachers was generally moderate to high, but there was still a lack of autonomy in terms of authority and decision-making. Generally, the study suggests that Heads of Schools needs to enhance the autonomy of their teachers by giving them sufficient autonomy, clear responsibility, appropriate resources, guidance, supervision and feedback.
Keywords: Teacher autonomy, delegation, decision-making, leadership, secondary schools.
Title: TO ASSESS THE LEVEL OF TEACHERS' AUTONOMY IN PERFORMING DELEGATED RESPONSIBILITIES IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Author: Neema A. Mwambungu, Onesmo Amos Damka, Francis F. Mgingo
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 4, October 2026 - December 2026
Page No: 240-250
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 24-October-2026
