Head Teacher’s Instructional Supervision Role and Learners’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Ndola District, Zambia

Abstract

The academic performance of the learners in public secondary schools in Ndola district has been a major source of concern for the past four years (2016-2019), a few schools in the district have performed well while majority have performed poorly culminating into low academic performance in the district. Usually with low academic performance the teachers’ role is questioned, however, not so often is the head teachers’ role questioned. It is for this reason that this study sought to examine the influence of head teachers’ instructional supervision role on learners’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ndola district. The study employed a descriptive survey research design which combined both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Closed and open ended questionnaires, focus group and interview guides were used to collect data from the respondents. The instruments were piloted in one secondary school in Ndola district.
 The findings of the study revealed that head teachers in the selected schools do carry out instructional supervision activities. The results of a correlation test carried out indicated that there was a positive relationship between the head teachers’ instructional supervision role and the academic performance of the learners. Based on the findings, this study concluded that instructional supervision by head teachers influenced or impacted positively on learners’ academic performance in public secondary schools in Ndola district. The study recommends that head teachers should be trained in curriculum and instructional supervision. This will enhance effective instructional supervision which in turn positively influences the academic performance of learners to a great extent as reveled by this study. This study recommends that further research could be done in other districts of Zambia to ascertain whether the same trend for learners’ academic performance exists.