An Assessment on the Supervision of Teachers’ Performance in Selected Primary Schools of Mberengwa District, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the supervision of teachers’ performance in the selected primary schools of Mberengwa District in Zimbabwe. The study was to assess the effects of the head teachers’ classroom visits where they observed lessons, examined suitability of teaching aids and gave demonstration lessons. It was also to assess the effects of checking of the teachers’ professional records, pupils’ exercise books and how the feedback is given. The study was to establish the challenges encountered during the process of supervision of teachers’ performance and provide strategies to improve the supervision process. The study employed the case study designs. Data were collected using questionnaires and interviews for head teachers and teachers. Three schools were selected from the five schools of Mudavanhu Cluster in Mberengwa District. The researcher’s school was used for pilot study. Purposive sampling was used to sample 9 teachers from the 3 selected primary schools. All the 3 head teachers from the selected schools participated. Collected data were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The study findings showed that the majority of teachers strongly agreed that head teachers often make classroom visits to check on teaching and learning sessions which means that supervision actually takes place in the primary schools. Most teachers strongly agreed that head teachers conducted lesson observations, examined suitability of teaching aids and gave demonstration lessons. Head teachers checked teachers’ professional records, pupils’ exercise books and gave feedback. Challenges are encountered during the supervision process as asserted by some head teachers and teachers. Therefore, the study concluded that regular classroom visits by the head teacher helps the teacher to develop professionally as the difficulties would be quickly identified and immediately solved by the head teacher. It also concluded that checking of teachers’ professional records and pupils’ exercise books make the task of monitoring the curriculum implementation by the head teacher easy as the record books provide evidence of the syllabus coverage, content delivery and teaching strategies. Demonstration lessons by the head teachers help teachers to evaluate their methodology which will enhance their performance. Feedback by the head teacher is crucial in supervision as teachers become aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Based on the study findings, the researcher recommended that the government through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education come up with a supervision guide that will ensure proper and constant supervision of teachers’ performance. Workshops should be conducted to make teachers become aware of the importance of supervision of teachers’ performance. The government through the Ministry of Education should come up with training programmes on effective supervisory skills for head teachers. The researcher suggested that a similar study be carried out in other clusters in the district to compare the findings