This study explores the practical aspects of gender-sensitive and democratically elected student
councils in terms of strengthening school leadership and governance and providing a platform
for increased awareness and advocacy, involving male and female students, in order to address
their needs and rights in primary and secondary schools in Tanzania.
Purposive and random sampling was employed by the study to obtain 628 female and 614 male
participants. Data were obtained from in-depth open–ended individual interviews with
purposively selected 26 male and 3 female school heads, 26 female and 9 male mentor teachers,
22 female and 2 male champions and 33 female and 21 male student leaders. Other data were
obtained from focus group discussions with 292 female and 289 male student leaders that were
randomly selected and a self-report survey of a random sample of 278 female and 257 male
students in both primary and secondary schools.
Overall, the evidence from the study suggests that the student council plays a major role in
strengthening school leadership and governance and increasing the ability of students,
particularly girls, to voice their needs and concerns. Some students’ concerns were gender-based
harassment, the right to quality education and quality health services, the elimination of corporal
punishment and teachers’ responsibility and accountability. The use of student councils helps to
improve the delivery of quality education in schools. For more positive outcomes and in parallel
with the student council, teachers’ capacity should be improved and that of administrators
responsible for implementing the laws, policies and guidelines on corporal punishment and
readmission to school of pregnant girls.
In the context of similar studies undertaken in various part of the world, this study contributes to
having a greater understanding of how students’ democratic citizenship can improve the delivery
of quality educational services in Tanzania and the rest of the world.