Cost Structures and Teachers’ Engagement in Tanzania’s Continuous Professional Development: Evidence from Secondary Schools in Ilala Municipality
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Abstract
Understanding the inherent costs of teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD) is essential for making well-informed decisions to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of programmes that meet international quality education standards. Grounded in Human Capital Theory (HCT), this study employed a convergent mixed-methods design to explore the cost structures and teachers’ engagement in continuing professional development (CPD) within Ilala secondary schools in Tanzania. The findings revealed that the cost structures involved in teachers’ CPD include direct, indirect, and hidden costs. Most of these costs are borne by individual teachers and, to a lesser extent, by their schools, with minimal external or government funding. The study confirmed an indirect relationship between these cost structures and teachers’ engagement. It shows that the higher the cost burden, the less the teachers' engagement with CPD. The study concludes that unless all CPD cost structures are systematically addressed through sustainable support mechanisms, teachers’ participation and long-term effectiveness will remain significantly constrained.