Teacher perception of School Management practices and their influence on Teacher performance in selected High Schools of Lusaka
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Date
2011-06-09
Authors
Mwanza, Peggy
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Abstract
This study investigated teacher perception of school management practices and their influence on teacher performance in selected high schools of Lusaka. Stratified random sampling was used to select eight high schools from Lusaka for investigation in 2004. Data was collected using questionnaires, semi- structured interviews, observation checklists and documentary analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected.
Data from questionnaires were computer analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to generate tables of frequencies and percentages. Interview data were analysed qualitatively by coding and emerging themes were grouped into categories using the constant comparative analysis technique. The themes and categories of the initial data were examined side by side with those in subsequent interviews. Thereafter the categories were regrouped to generate the most significant categories and themes. The tables of frequencies and percentages were used to examine the following major propositions: i) Management styles used in schools run by effective and non-effective School Managers.
ii) The relationship between school management practices and teacher performance, iii) Management practices of non-effective School Managers and their influence on
teacher performance, iv) The level of the morale and commitment to work of teachers in schools run by
non-effective School Managers, v) Attributes of poor teacher performance and their most likely consequences.
The findings of the study revealed that effective Headteachers exercised management styles that were contingent upon the situation. Non-effective Headteachers used the democratic style occasionally but largely used either the autocratic style or the laissez faire style of management. The study also revealed that there was a relationship between school management practices and teacher performance. In effective schools, where teachers were involved in the affairs of the school such as decision-making and being entrusted with responsibilities other than teaching, teacher performance was good. In non-effective schools where teachers were left out most often in the running of the school, for example not usually involved in decision-making even in decisions which affected them and responsibilities were delegated only to particular persons without taking into account their capabilities, teacher performance was average or poor. Furthermore, the study revealed that teachers who had effective Headteachers showed commitment and dedication to their work. The level of morale among teachers in effective schools was moderate, mainly because of being lowly paid. On the other hand, teachers with non-effective Headteachers showed little commitment and dedication to work and their morale was low.
Other findings were that in spite of the Headteachers' management practices having influence on teacher performance, Headteachers of high schools were not given an opportunity to undertake training in educational management. The Ministry of Education (1996) policy document observes the need for quality education through effective school management but this may not be accomplished if high school Headteachers are not trained.
Headteachers and the majority of teachers expressed the need for Headteachers to undertake training in educational management.
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Keywords
School Management and Organisation -- Lusaka , Teacher -- Administrator relationship -- Lusaka