Effectiveness of supervision of basic schools in the Tema municipality of the Greater Accra region of Ghana

Abstract

The issue of poor academic performance of pupils in the Ghanaian Basic Schools has become a societal concern. Public outcry through Media reports on almost a daily basis to the view that children are not studying hard enough attests to this fact. While some think that schools lack the basic educational resources others think that standards have fallen because of the lack of adequate supervision. Some even assert that the curriculum is too bookish and the period too short. To this school of thought, the curriculum should be reviewed to cut down on the number of subjects and to increase the duration of the course. Stakeholders however agree that lack of effective supervision is a contributing factor. The purpose of this study was to find out the effectiveness of supervision in the Tema Municipality in view of the fact that students continue to perform poorly despite the numerous in-service and staff development workshops that circuit supervisors, head teachers and teachers undertake in the Municipality. The study was a survey research and the interview and questionnaire methods were used to collect data. The administration of the questionnaire recorded 99% response among head teachers and 100% among circuit supervisors, head of inspectorate and students. The main statistical methods used in the study were percentages and descriptive statistics. The major findings of the study were that: 1. While the education officers (60%) were of the view that both internal and external supervision were given greater emphasis, majority of the head teachers and teachers said that school-based supervision was given greater emphasis in the Municipality. 2) School based supervision was more effective and helpful to teachers and therefore preferred to the external supervision by the Municipal Education Office.