The Causes and Management of Students’ Unrest at the University of Arusha in Tanzania

Mjema, Mashauri Mwangasha (2013) The Causes and Management of Students’ Unrest at the University of Arusha in Tanzania. ["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined] thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

This study analysed the nature, causes, aftermath, and management of students’ unrest in a higher learning institution. This descriptive case study survey was guided by the theories of campus ecology, cognitive dissonance, and relative deprivation to identify the root causes of students’ unrest.The research focused on the academic, managerial and allocative, political, religious and welfare issues as areas of the root causes of students’ unrest in the higher learning institution. In most cases,the university administration used authoritarian methods. Alternative approaches which involved problem solving, negotiation and arbitration were emphasised. It was argued that students’ unrestled to destruction of property, stoppage of academic programmes, and loss of peaceful learning environment, and lowers the credibility of the institution. The major technique of data collection were documentary review and interviews of the key informants of the selected unrests. The research has employed Mkumbo’s (2002) steps of analysing students’ crises. These steps were:defining the students’ unrest, events leading to the unrest, characterisation of the unrest, needs that required attention and mechanism used to solve the unrest.The study recommends the involment of workers and students in decision making, to improve communication system with the students’ leadership, government and sponsors should provide sufficient meal and accomodation allowances on time, educate students about procedures of solving grievances, to have early warningsystem, improve infrastuctural learning environment, to establish an office for guidance and counselling, to revisit and implement recommendations by chancellor’s and TCU probe commissions.

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