Assessing the effective use of school self-evaluation towards the improvement of academic performance in Atwima Nwabiagya North District

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the effective use of school self-evaluation towards the improvement of academic performance in junior high schools at Atwima Nwabiagya North District. The objectives of the study were to find out the benefits of effective school self-evaluation, determine factors affecting effective school self-evaluation and to establish factors that can promote school self-evaluation in junior high schools at Atwima Nwabiagya North District. Descriptive survey design was used for the study. The target population was head teachers, assistant head teachers and teachers in both private and public Junior High Schools. The accessible population was 65, consisting of 10 head teachers, 10 assistant head teachers and 45 teachers in 10 public Junior High Schools. Purposive sampling was used to select all the 65 head teachers and teachers for the study. Questionnaire was used for data collection. The reliability test yielded Cronbach Alpha of 0.78. The data was processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software package version 20.0. The study found that school self-evaluation enabled teachers to reflect on their own practice regularly to improve students learning outcome. Factors that affected school self-evaluation were lack of motivation, lack of experts or skilled personnel to offer training on school self-evaluation. Factors that could promote school self-evaluation were provision of adequate incentives and provision of adequate financial support. It is recommended that the Atwima Nwabiagya North District Directorate of Education should provide schools under its jurisdiction with adequate teaching and learning materials for effective school self-evaluation for the success of the school.