Novice Teachers’ Experiences of Mentoring Support and its contribution in their professional development in Public Secondary Schools in Chato District, Tanzania
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jep.4044Keywords:
Novice Teachers, Mentoring, Induction, Professional Development, TanzaniaAbstract
Purpose: This study examined novice teachers’ experiences of mentoring support and its contribution in their professional development during induction in six public secondary schools in Chato District, Tanzania.
Methodology: A convergent mixed methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected through Likert scale questionnaires administered to 30 novice teachers selected using Yamane’s formula for finite populations, while qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 12 senior academic staff and 2 Ward Education Officers and through review of School Management Team minutes, induction records, and mentorship logs. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data through thematic analysis.
Findings: The findings show that most novice teachers received formal induction (80.0%) and were assigned mentors (73.3%), and that mentoring support was strongest in lesson planning (83.3%) and classroom management (76.7%). However, feedback specificity, consistency of meetings, and follow up were uneven, with fewer than half of respondents reporting a clear mentoring schedule. Mentoring was credited with improved teaching confidence (75.0%), enhanced subject delivery (75.0%), reduced professional stress (70.0%), and strengthened professional ethics (80.0%).
Unique contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: Interpreted through Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory and Levinson's Career Stage Theory, the findings suggest that mentoring in Chato District activates the sources of self-efficacy during a critical career transition, but with intensity and consistency that vary across schools. The study recommends schools to establish formal mentor allocation systems supported by written induction plans, mentoring schedules, and documented feedback cycles. School Management Teams should also protect regular time slots for mentoring activities within the school calendar.
Downloads
References
Adedokun, F. O., & Adeyeye, O. M. (2024). A cross national study of teacher retention and job satisfaction in Sub-Saharan Africa. Preventing School Failure, 68(4), 312–326. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2024.2361874
Admiraal, W. F., Schenke, W., Fokkens-Bruinsma, M., & Janssen, F. (2025). Attrition risk profiles of novice teachers based on their job demands, individual and school resources, and well-being. Teaching and Teacher Education, 162, 105070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2025.105070
Akyeampong, K., Lussier, K., & Pryor, J. (2023). Teacher support and professional learning in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Ghana and Kenya. International Journal of Educational Development, 96, 102698.
Alagwa, C. P., & Ligembe, N. N. (2022). Strategies for retaining secondary school science teachers: A case of Dodoma City, Tanzania. East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 3(3), 76–82.
Ally, M. S., & Mabagala, D. L. (2022). Effectiveness of mentoring in enhancing teacher competencies in secondary schools in Mbeya Region, Tanzania. European Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 3(5), 1–7.
Ampomah, R., Manu, J., & Akyina, K. O. (2024). Empowering novice teachers through mentorship and supported teaching in schools: Implications for education policy and practice. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(9), 1–19.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84(2), 191–215.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
Bogers, M., Admiraal, W., & Priem, P. (2025). Navigating the early career landscape: Unpacking the role of induction in shaping beginning teachers' intrinsic motivation, affection, and self-efficacy. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2025.2482977
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. SAGE Publications.
Bryman, A. (2021). Social research methods (6th ed.). Oxford University Press.
CL4STEM. (2022). Tanzania baseline study report. Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2021). Research methods in education (9th ed.). Routledge.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Creswell, J. W., & Plano Clark, V. L. (2018). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications.
Fetters, M. D., Curry, L. A., & Creswell, J. W. (2013). Achieving integration in mixed methods designs: Principles and practices. Health Services Research, 48(6, Pt 2), 2134–2156.
Kaveto, N., Simuyaba, E., & Hambulo, F. (2025). Novice teachers' experiences of support from school leadership: A Southern African perspective. African Educational Research Journal, 13(4), 3380–3395.
Kearney, S. (2016). Understanding beginning teacher induction: A contextualised examination of best practice. Cogent Education, 3(1), 1261552.
Kearney, S., Perkins, T., & Maakrun, J. (2022). The role of the mentor in supporting new teachers: Associations with self-efficacy, reflection, and quality. Frontiers in Education, 7, 1–13.
Lawrent, G. (2024). Sources of teacher efficacy related attributes alongside Bandura's perspectives. Journal of Education, 204(1), 156–167. https://doi.org/10.1177/00220574221094238
Levinson, D. J. (1978). The seasons of a man’s life. Knopf.
Mashauri, J., Anyanwu, J., & Kyaruzi, F. (2025). The influence of mentorship programmes on teaching quality in Iringa Municipality. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 9(4), 1–15.
Mkhabele, N. G., Kgwete, E. M., & Sing, N. (2024). School management teams' management of induction of newly appointed teachers. Perspectives in Education, 42(3), 315–330.
Mlyakado, B. P., & Mwandambo, I. M. (2024). Mentorship experiences during teaching practice and its influence on student teachers' professional development in Tanzania. University of Dar es Salaam Journal of Education, 44(1), 89–104.
Mng'ong'o, J. (2025). The role of mentoring and collegial support in enhancing teachers' performance in public secondary schools in Njombe Town Council, Tanzania. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 50(2), 12–23.
Mzelela, L. J., Ishengoma, J. M., & Kafanabo, E. J. (2023). Trends in mentoring of beginning teachers in government secondary schools in Rukwa Region, Tanzania. East African Journal of Education and Social Sciences, 4(3), 45–56.
Opoku, M. P., Nketsia, W., Alzyoudi, M., & Alkhateeb, J. (2025). Catching them young! A comparative study of teacher retention among beginning teachers in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. British Educational Research Journal, 51(4), 1523–1542. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.4217
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2025). Results from TALIS 2024: The state of teaching. OECD Publishing.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2019). TALIS 2018 results (Volume I): Teachers and school leaders as lifelong learners. OECD Publishing.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2022). Research methods for business students (9th ed.). Pearson Education Limited.
Smith, K., & Ulvik, M. (2022). Mentoring novice teachers: Expectations, experiences, and professional development. Professional Development in Education, 48(3), 427–440.
Todd, G. J. N., Xu, E., & Liang, X. (2024). Design-based implementation research on the National Framework for Teacher Continuous Professional Development (NF-TCPD/MEWAKA) in Tanzania. World Bank.
UNESCO. (2024). Global report on teachers: Addressing teacher shortages and transforming the profession. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
United Republic of Tanzania. (2014). Education and training policy. Ministry of Education and Vocational Training.
Wang, D., Liu, L., & Zhou, T. (2024). What makes a good mentor of in-service teacher education? A systematic review of mentoring competence from a transformative learning perspective. Teaching and Teacher Education, 148, 104706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104706
Yamane, T. (1967). Statistics: An introductory analysis (2nd ed.). Harper & Row.
Zhang, S., Liu, Q., & Wang, Q. (2023). A worthwhile endeavor? A meta-analysis of research on formalized novice teacher induction programs. Educational Research Review, 38, 100487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100487
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Novath Joas, Dr. Upendo P. Biswalo
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
