Teachers’ Perceptions and Classroom Experiences of Ability Grouping in Tanzanian Secondary Schools

This study examines secondary school teachers' perceptions and experiences of ability grouping in Tanzanian secondary schools.Guided by Social Constructivist theory, the study examined how teachers perceive and implement ability grouping as an instructional strategy to address learner diversity and improve learning outcomes.A mixed-methods design was employed, involving 104 teachers from two secondary schools in Dar es Salaam.Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, MANOVA, and thematic analysis.Quantitative results indicated that teachers held moderately positive perceptions (M = 25.79,SD = 4.09) and experiences (M = 27.66,SD = 4.72) toward ability grouping, with variations across schools, subjects, and teaching experience.MANOVA showed no significant main effects of the independent variables on teachers' perceptions and experiences.However, significant interaction effects were found between school and gender (p = .011,η² = .390)and between school and teaching experience (p = .010,η² = .340),highlighting the influence of contextual factors.Qualitative findings corroborated the quantitative trends, showing that teachers valued ability grouping for enhancing differentiated instruction and classroom management, but expressed concerns about its potential negative impact on low-performing students' motivation and self-esteem.The study concludes that ability grouping is a promising yet complex instructional strategy, whose effectiveness depends on teacher facilitation, institutional support, and context-sensitive implementation.These findings offer practical guidance for policymakers and school leaders seeking to foster inclusive and adaptive instructional practices in secondary schools.