Experience of primary school inspectors in ensuring quality teaching and learning in Northern Uganda

Abstract

This is a qualitative study that investigated the experience of school inspectors in ensuring quality teaching and learning in primary schools in Northern Uganda, using hermeneutics phenomenological design. The study was underpinned by relative ontology, personal epistemology and accountability theory. In-depth interviews and document analysis were used to explore the understanding of the school inspectors on quality teaching and learning, techniques they use to ensure quality teaching and learning, their effectiveness and challenges. The study revealed that the inspectors understand quality teaching and learning as a multidimensional reality that entails attaining of literacy and numeracy; life skills; holistic development of learners; teachers’ competencies and professionalism; measure of learning achievement; broadness without ambiguity; collaborative; innovate; dynamic and contextual issue. The main techniques that the inspectors used to ensure quality teaching and learning in the primary schools are: assessment of quality of inputs into educational programs; assessment of educational processes; assessment of learning outcomes;psychosocial support; ensuring compliance with educational standards, laws and regulations; creating awareness on educational standards, laws and regulations; administration of rewards and sanctions. The study showed that the inspectors believe that they have been effective in supporting teachers; improving learning, learning environment and professional development of teachers; fighting corruption and malpractices among teachers. They however experienced insubordination of teachers; negative attitude of teachers towards the teaching profession; inadequate training of teachers; failure of teachers to adhere to educational laws; policies and regulations; excess work overload to the school inspectors; negative perception of some teachers on school inspection; corruption; lack of resources for school inspection; ineffectiveness of the head teachers; and difficulties in enforcing educational standards, rules, regulations and laws. They mainly use laws, policies and regulations and peer to peer support as the strategies to solve problems which they encounter in ensuring quality teaching and learning in the primary schools. The unique contribution of the study is that quality teaching and learning as understood by primary school inspectors is a multidimensional reality that can best be achieved using a logical, psychosocial legal approach. Policies, practices and future studies need to examine critically the dynamics and characteristics of these approaches to quality teaching and learning in primary schools.