Vocationalisation of Basic Education: Experiences of Students in a Technical Secondary School in Moshi Municipality Council, Tanzania

This study was undertaken to examine how vocationalisation of secondary education affects students' experiences and attitude towards pursuing technical and vocational careers.The study employed a single case study design.The target population was the students and teachers in the technical secondary school in Moshi Municipality.The sample had 41 total participants including 35 students selected using stratified sampling procedure, considering gender and the two class levels, 5 technical subject teachers and Head of school selected purposively.The school head was selected using a purposive sampling technique.Data were collected through open-ended questionnaires.Data were analysed using descriptive statistics for quantifiable data and thematic analysis for qualitative information.The results show that the students' experiences in technical subjects were building self-employment opportunities, a good foundation for future career/dream, and enhancing academic performance in other academic subjects.It was also found that, majority of students would prefer proceeding with technical career fields after completing basic education.The study concludes that technical secondary education builds and nurtures technical skills, which are beneficial to students and the nation at large.The study recommends the establishment of more technical secondary schools to open more opportunities for all the students in basic education who need technical skills.