The study assessed the impetus of school-based income-generating activities on students’ entrepreneurship skills among public secondary schools in Kilimanjaro Region-Tanzania. Guided by Edifice Entrepreneurial Supply Theory, the study employed a convergent research design under a mixed research approach. Probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used to draw the sample of 834 respondents from the target population of 110,642. The categories of the sample involved District Education Officers (DEOs), Heads of Schools (HOSs), teachers, and students. The study used interview guides, questionnaires, observation guides, and document analysis guides. Quantitative data were descriptively analyzed through percentages and means, and presented in a table while qualitative data were thematically analyzed and presented in direct quotations. The study found out that stakeholders were highly influenced by active implementation of school-based income-generating activities as proved to impart various entrepreneurship skills. The study concluded that the establishment and operationalization of IGAs in secondary school cycles has a high impetus factor for students and acts as an important engine towards imparting learners’ entrepreneurial skills to them. Therefore, the study recommends that education stakeholders should stress on mandatory implementation of IGAs in public secondary schools to equip learners with vital entrepreneurial skills.

This study assessed the availability of school-based income-generating activities (IGAs) in public secondary schools in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. Guided by Resource Dependency Theory, the study adopted a convergent design under a mixed research approach for data collection and analysis. Probability and non-probability sampling techniques were employed to obtain 36 Heads of Schools (HOSs), 360 Teachers, 432 Students, and 6 District Education Officers. The quantitative data were analyzed descriptively (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics using the ANOVA statistical test and presented in form of tables. Qualitative data were coded to translate the responses into specific categories and themes. The study found that, school shops as the most practiced school-based IGAs in public secondary schools. The study also revealed that cafeteria and crop cultivation were moderately practiced IGAs. Moreover, the study also depicted that animal keeping, poultry keeping, fish farming, vegetable gardening, tree nursery, hiring of school vehicle, and renting school facilities ranked as the least practiced IGAs. Through ANOVA test, the study found that there was no significant difference in the mean response of HOSs, teachers, and students on the availability of income-generating activities in public secondary schools in Kilimanjaro region. The study concluded that the public secondary schools do not practice IGAs such as animal keeping, poultry keeping, fish farming, vegetable garden, tree nursery, hiring of school vehicles and renting school facilities. This could be due to limited land space and inadequate motivation for benefits accrue from these projects. Therefore, the study recommends that District Education Officers, Heads of Schools, teachers, and parents, should make sure that all public secondary schools are fully engaged in school-based income-generating activities to supplement the school’s financial requirements. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should develop a clear directive policy based on the establishment and expansion of IGAs in public secondary schools in Tanzania.

This study explored and examined the conceivable challenges heads of schools face in managing School-Based Income-Generating Activities (SB-IGAs) in public secondary schools in Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. Guided by Resource Dependency Theory, the study adopted the embedded model of convergent design under a mixed research approach for concurrent data collection and analysis. Probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used to obtain 36 Heads of Schools (HOSs), 360 Teachers, 432 Students, and 6 District Education Officers. The quantitative data were descriptively analyzed through frequencies and percentages, and presented in tables, whereas qualitative data were transcribed and analyzed in themes emerging, and explained in words supported by verbatim quotations. The study found that inadequate knowledge and shortage of funds as initial capital were stumbling blocks that prevented the advancement and stability of SB-IGAs. The study also revealed that there was the inadequacy of land set aside and insufficient water supply that was explicitly meant for SB-IGAs in public secondary schools. The study concluded that inadequacy of land, insufficient water supply, lack of transparency, lack of motivation and inadequate funds as initiation capital are the core challenges that prevent the advancement of SB-IGAs and thus hinder financial sustainability in public secondary schools in Kilimanjaro region. Therefore, the study recommends that the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology should develop and adopt clear strategies for resolving challenges that HOSs face in managing SB-IGAs in public secondary schools in Tanzania.