Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol.11, No.24, 2020 92 Professional Development and Empowerment among Secondary School Teachers in Mkuranga District, Tanzania Bertha Erasto Losioki Department of Education Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy P.O BOX 9193, Dar - es Salaam - Tanzania Abstract The study explores professional Development and empowerment among secondary schools teachers. Qualitative approach was employed to gather information on teachers’ empowerment, professional development, and factors limiting professional development. The target population was secondary school teachers, Head of Secondary Schools and Educational Officials in Mkuranga District, Pwani region. The study sample size was 52 respondents. Data were collected through in depth interview, questionnaire, non-participant observation, and documentary review. Content analysis was used to analyse data. The study findings show that observation visits and qualification programme were the main types of professional development among teachers. Teachers’ empowerment was found in the improvement of classroom teaching, handling of students’ matters, self-efficacy, status, and problem solving. Inability in innovative teaching practices was found among teachers. Structural factors such as inadequate support for professional development, inadequate resources, teaching workloads, and cultural factors such as learning culture, collaboration culture, and trust between teachers were some of the constraints to professional development among teachers. The government and Non State actors should support teacher professional development programmes in order to empower teachers and to ensure quality in students’ educational achievement and performance. Keywords: Professional development, empowerment, Teachers, Tanzania DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-24-11 Publication date:August 31 st 2020 1. Introduction Teacher professional development and empowerment are important in transforming education (Shaimemanya, 2017). Not only are empowered teachers in charge of their own development, but they are also powerful agents of change. Their knowledge and competencies are important in restructuring education process (Tindowen, 2019; Braga, Jones, Bulger & Elliot, 2016). UNESCO (2017) shows that there are competencies that enable an individual to be proactive, self-organised, and focused in different contexts and situations. These competencies include knowledge, capacities, skills, motives, and affective dispositions. They can be developed and acquired through actions based on experience and reflections. Balyer, Ozcan and Yildiz (2017) argue that empowerment is a crucial issue in professional development since empowered teachers can discover their potential and limitations for themselves as well as developing the required competences in their professional development. In addition, empowered teachers have the ability of exploiting opportunities for professional growth, feel efficient and effective in the classroom, and have the capacity of influencing students (Tindowen, 2019). Therefore, empowerment has positive influence on teachers’ perception towards their knowledge, skills, and talents in helping and establishing programme for their students. URT (2017) shows that the major goals of teacher professional development in Tanzania are to bring changes in classrooms practices of teachers, a change of teachers’ attitudes and beliefs, and a change of students’ learning outcomes. The Teachers Development Framework identifies two major types of professional development in Tanzania. The first is direct professional development for in - service teachers which includes workshops and seminars that target at disseminating skills and new knowledge, and allowing reflections, innovations, and problem solving. This is done through meetings at wards or district levels. The second type is school level professional development, which is also referred to as community learning. This allows teachers to collaborate with other peers within the school environment. Community learning aims at the achievement of teacher improvement and enhancement of students learning resulting from the efforts towards education reforms in Tanzania (URT, 2017). Thus, Teacher professional development aims at improving teachers professionally, academically, and technically. It combines an increase of teacher’s academic qualifications and professional growth (Komba & Nkumbi, 2008). Moreover, teacher professional development nurture a culture of learning as it allows teachers to develop their knowledge, skills, and the belief that learning is important and useful (Gracia & Weiss, 2019). It enables teachers to be more efficient and effective in their career as it increases teachers’ dedication, satisfaction, and professionalism. It also increases teachers’ ability to help students’ learning and performance (Darling-Hammond, et. al., 2017; Gracia & Weiss, 2019). Thus, professional development is one of the important influencing aspects in student learning and achievement. However, structural issues (resources, time, external support and workloads)