Instructional supervision in Botswana secondary schools: an investigation

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine how instructional supervision was carried out in schools. The study begins with a brief outline of the decentralization of the inspection system in Botswana. It proceeds to present a brief global historical background of instructional supervision before findings on instructional supervision are discussed. Evidence from the findings, which were obtained from teachers and head teachers through a structured questionnaire and interview, suggests that the environment in which instructional supervision takes place in schools is rather hostile and intimidating to teachers to make any meaningful impression on the improvement of teaching standards. Instructional supervisors’ effectiveness is constrained by the much expanded secondary education system that has seen a massive increase in schools and teachers in a relatively short time. The study concludes with the recommendation that, for instructional supervision to fully benefit schools, it needs restructuring so that the teachers and the head teachers play a more meaningful and effective role.