| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of supervision by QAS officers in public primary schools in Turkana central District. The study was guided by five objectives which included establishing types of supervisions that are used by QAS officers, identifying facilities that QAS officers are provided with to conduct supervision in schools, determining how the frequency of supervision by QAS officers has affected the quality of supervision, assessing the extent to which QAS officers' recommendations were implemented by teachers and exploring possible ways and means of improving the effectiveness of supervision in public primary schools in Turkana Central District.
The researcher developed research questions to gather information in order to meet the objective of the study. Related literature on supervision of schools by QAS officers was reviewed. The study was based on the two factor motivational theory of Fredrick Herzberg. This study used descriptive survey design. The target population comprised of all the teachers, head teachers, SMC chairpersons of the 30 public primary schools in Turkana Central District and the 6 zonal QAS officers. Data were collected by use of questionnaires and observation schedules. Data were analyzed using computer programme, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
Findings revealed that various types of supervision used in the schools included visiting classrooms during teaching, observing professional records such as schemes of work and lessons by the headteachers while the QAS informed teachers on the current techniques in instructions, organizing INSETS to initiate positive changes in education. Other forms
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of supervision included advisory supervision, panel supervision, and spot check supervision. It was also revealed that the QAS and the SMC provided facilities for supervision. Findings further indicated that the sponsors supported the management of the schools and that supervision was conducted every two terms as indicated by 77.8%. Findings revealed that the QAS officers gave timely feedback, headteachers made follow up to ensure that recommendations of supervision by QAS officers were implemented.
The SMC undertook to implement school plans and supervisory recommendations by the QAS. It was also revealed that supervision had some impact on academic performance at all levels. Supervision also kept teachers and pupils on the right track in terms of curriculum and syllabus coverage. The observation schedule showed that most of the items under observation such as staff meetings files, administrative policy documents, teacher pupil relationship were either good or very good.
Based on the findings, it was concluded that there were various types of supervision conducted in the public primary schools in Turkana central district. The study concluded that the QAS were provided with some facilities for supervision. It was also concluded that supervision was conducted mostly every two terms, QAS officers gave timely feedback while the headteachers made follow-up to ensure that recommendations of supervision by QAS officers were implemented. Lastly the study concluded that supervision had improved performance and the quality of teaching and learning in the schools although absenteeism by headteachers and teachers was found to be negatively impacting on the performance in schools.
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Based on the findings, it was recommended that there should be training for QAS officers and that those who were available should be in-serviced and provided with courses that could enhance their work. It was also recommended that there should be provision of adequate facilities for supervision. It was further recommended that supervision of
curriculum institutions should evolve and maintain internal systems of quality checks.
Lastly, that there should be provision of enough funds and the necessary training for utilization of the fund. Taking the limitations and delimitations of the study, it was suggested that a study on the effect of supervision on academic performance should be conducted; a study on an investigation on the role of supervision on school policy development and also a study on the relationship between headteacher training and its effect on supervision of school should be conducted. | en |
