Instructional supervision practices by headteachers in public junior high schools in the Awutu Senya East Municipality

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the state of Instructional Supervision by headteachers in Public Junior High Schools within the Awutu Senya East Municipality, in the Central Region of Ghana. The study considered Instructional Supervision Model, which indicated the practices and the governing values that goes with the supervision. The study employed mixed methods descriptive survey research design. The study engaged multi-stage sampling using stratified, simple random and quota sampling techniques for quantitative data. For qualitative date, all interviewees were approached purposively and voluntary were engaged at their own convenience time, place and unit of communication. The sample used for the study were seventy eight (78) respondents. The findings identified the major causes of poor supervisory techniques by headteachers in the Awutu Senya East Municipality were lack of funding, inadequate materials for instructional supervision and no support from the municipal education directorate, inadequate of skills and knowledge for instructional supervision and inadequate training for the supervisors. Also, the finding from the study indicated that most challenges faced by headteachers as supervisors in discharging their duties was financial constraints which lead to inability to procure logistics and materials, as well as inability to motivate headteachers. The study depicted that the various ways by which ensuring instructional supervision practices by headteachers could be improved by periodic training on modern trends, provision of adequate and sufficient materials for instructional supervision among others. Based on the findings, some of the recommendations made were; the Head of Educational Inspectorate Unit (HoEIU) in Awutu Senya East Municipal must put an interim supervision training programme in place to train headteachers before taking up their supervisory appointments. The challenges of supervisors must be met by the Municipal Directors of Education and the Ministry of Education must supply logistics to supervisors their day-to-day operational activities. to enhance their mobility. Accommodation must be provided to headteachers on campus to ensure quality supervision.