Head Teachers In The Context Of Monitoring Teaching And Learning: The Case Of Selected Public Primary Schools In Kondoa District, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

This study intended to examine the role of HT in the context of monitoring teaching and learning in primary school in Kondoa district. The study was mainly qualitative and supported by some elements of quantitative data. Data collection methods included interview, questionnaires and documentary review. The study used a crosssection research design. Samples were drawn using purposive and cluster sampling techniques that yielded; 6 primary schools, 6 HT, 6 AT, 12 teachers, DEO and CDSI. Findings revealed that in monitoring teaching and learning, HT mainly relied on procedures of monitoring students‟ attendance and reviewing scheme of work, lesson plan, class journals and getting some feedbacks from learners‟ data collected by class masters and class educators. It was also revealed that, HT were not trained on how to monitor teaching and learning. Hence, techniques used by HT to monitor were ineffective in revealing what actually happened in the classroom for the reasons that, in Kondoa, classroom lesson observation was only authorized to school inspectors and performance appraisal was strictly used for teachers‟ promotion. It is recommended that, for betterment of students‟ performance, the government should recruit academically suitable candidates, train them effectively and officially authorize classroom lesson observation and performance appraisal to HT. These will be strategic means for effective monitoring of teaching and learning in a school context. Importantly, HT should be given job descriptions and task specification to guide their role in school.