Effectiveness of Heads of Schools in Supervising Teachers’ Teaching Activities in Secondary Schools in Kagera Region, Tanzania

Abstract

Head of schools are considered imperative in education system for influencing teachers’ teaching commitment to improve school performance and attaining quality education. This necessitated the need of this study to investigate the effectiveness of heads of schools in supervising teachers’ teaching activities in secondary schools in Kagera region. The study was guided by transformational theory. The reviewed literatures indicated the availability of several studies on school leadership and commitment of teachers as factors for school performance. However, still there was a need for investigating the effectiveness of school headship in supervising teachers’ teaching activities in secondary schools as a central variables for effective teaching in secondary schools, due to persisting challenges constrains on leadership effectiveness and education performance. The study employed convergent parallel design from mixed research approach. The target population of the study included all head of schools, academic masters/mistress and teachers in public secondary schools in Kagera region. The sample size comprised 32 schools, 32 head of schools, 32 academic masters/mistress and310 teachers. Probability and non-probability sampling techniques used to sample participants. Instruments for data collection was questionnaires, interview guide and document analysis guide. The study carried out a piloting study into two schools; comprising ten (10) participants. Content validity was established to ensure the validity of instruments, split half method used to ascertain the reliability of questionnaire, dependability and credibility determined the reliability of interview guide. Descriptive statistics used to analyze quantitative data with the use of SPSS version 22 and thematic analysis used for qualitative data analysis. Hypotheses were tested by Pearson Correlation. Results suggest strong significant relationship between school headship and teachers teaching commitment.

Supervisory practices and challenges faced by senior high school principals in Greater Monrovia, Liberia: implications for quality education

“…This review of the lesson plan was performed by the principals through weekly inspections. The results agree with the statement that educational supervisors conduct their regular teaching and learning supervisory tasks differently in secondary schools, since conditions in the school setting inform the supervisory process (Mwesiga and Okendo, 2018).…”

The Role of Secondary School Heads’ Classroom Visits in Delivery of Quality Instruction in Biharamulo District, Tanzania

“…That is, nobody really enjoys classroom visits. However, Mwesiga's (2018) study findings revealed that Tanzanian heads of schools had negligible challenges to an extent of being effective in terms of supervising, guiding, observing and evaluating the teaching and learning process in and outside classrooms. An information gap between reviewed literatures prompted the need of this study.…”

Perceptions of Teachers Toward Headteacher’s Instructional Supervision on Preparation of Professional Documents in Rombo District Tanzania

“…Most studies revealed that preparation of professional documents guide teachers in the process of teaching and learning and shows the importance of using professional documents. Most Studies which had been conducted on preparation of professional documents concentrated on other aspects of professional documents such as the studies Ratemo (2020), Kostina (2019), Mwesiga & Okendo (2018) and Urio (2020) were about supervisory skills by head teachers, supervision feedback from head teachers, challenges faced by head teachers when implementing instructional supervision and improvement of instructional supervision on teachers preparation of professional documents, but still it remains unclear and no direct evidence regarding the teachers perceptions towards head teachers instructional supervision on preparation of professional. Therefore, perceptions of primary teachers toward headteacher's instructional supervision on preparation of professional documents in Rombo District.…”

“…Instructional leaders pay attention to instruction by setting curriculum goals and ensuring the deployment of resources to support teaching (Mazana et al, 2020). A study done in Kagera by Mwesiga & Okendo (2018) observed that the head teachers normally, check teachers preparations of scheme of works, lesson plans, students notes and visit to the classrooms to observe teachers lesson presentation and issuing sound feedback, observe teachers attendance and punctuality in school and class attendances, check pupils exercises to find out teachers output of work, keep teachers attendance/log books, ensure teachers accomplishment of syllabus on time, give evaluation feedback to teachers and holding meeting for teaching evaluation together with teachers.…”