Abstract:
This study investigated the school improvement practices of basic school heads in the
Effutu Municipality. The objectives of the study, based on Lezzote’s correlates of
effective schools, were to find out the instructional leadership practices exhibited by
basic school heads, identify ways in which basic school heads monitor students’
progress, examine the measures basic school heads adopt to ensure a safe and orderly
environment for students as well as the strategies employed by basic school heads to
create learning opportunities for students in the Effutu Municipality. The study
employed a qualitative approach underpinned by the interpretive paradigm.
Specifically, the study employed a case study research design with purposive
sampling procedure to select a sample of seventeen (17) participants. Data was
collected through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis.
The effective schools and instructional leadership theories provided a broad
framework for the study. The study revealed that the instructional leadership practices
exhibited by basic school heads in the Effutu Municipality are instructional
supervision, inclusivity approach and managerial and administrative functions. The
head teachers constantly observed classroom activities and inspected teachers’ lesson
notes and students’ workbooks as means of monitoring students’ progress. Again,
besides mobilizing support to undertake maintenance and renovation works in their
schools, basic school head teachers in the Effutu Municipality also instituted a
School-Parents-Community partnership as a way of safeguarding the environment for
students to learn. Finally, the study revealed that the head teachers employed such
strategies as ability-based learning, ability groupings, access to learning materials,
assessment and organizing extracurricular activities to help create learning
opportunities for their students. The study concluded that although the school
improvement practices of basic school heads in the Effutu Municipality are in line
with Lezzote’s effective schools model, there is no evidence to suggest that these
influence learning outcomes. With evidence of the use of technology and virtual
studies being ignored by the head teachers, the study recommends that the Effutu
Municipal Education Directorate adopts a digital technology policy for all heads of
basic schools in the Municipality. The Directorate should build the capacity of the
heads and help them gain the competencies needed to enhance their school
improvement practices through technology. The basic school heads should also study
their schools’ situations and adopt practices that best work for them.
Description:
A thesis in the Department of Educational Administration and
Management, Faculty of Educational Studies, submitted to the School of
Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the award of the degree of
Master of Philosophy
(Educational Administration and Management)
in the University of Education, Winneba