Does education level matter? Matching teachers’ professional conduct with educational qualifications in Tanzania

This study presents results on the influence of educational qualifications on adherence to professional conduct. The study employed a quantitative research approach with an ex-post facto design to determine the statistical difference in professional conduct adherence among certificate, diploma, and bachelor’s degree teachers. 150 primary school teachers selected through stratified simple random sampling were involved in the study. Data were collected through questionnaires, and the analysis used the Kruskal–Wallis test by ranks. The study found that teachers’ educational qualifications positively influence their professional competencies, but make teachers pay less attention to prescribed laws and regulations, and make them more goal-oriented instead. The study recommends that opportunities for teachers to upgrade their educational qualifications be made available as much as possible, allowing them to broaden their understanding of their profession. The study also recommends the involvement of teachers by educational authorities in formulating educational guidelines before their implementation.