Strategies that leadership employ to support teacher professional development in Namibia

Abstract

BACKGROUND : Namibian education is faced with a concern of poor-quality teaching and learning. One way of seeking to address this is through the professional development of teachers. Therefore, this study examined strategies used by school leaders to support teachers for improved subject knowledge and pedagogy. AIM : The study aims to provide a fresh repository of information tailored for policymakers, political leaders and administrators to avail resources to capacitate and support school leaders towards innovative and creative strategies geared towards teachers’ professional development. SETTING : This article provides insights into the various strategies employed by principals and heads of departments (HODs) to support teacher professional development in the Namibian context. METHODS : This was a mixed-method study in which quantitative findings were used to guide the development of questions used during interviews. During the quantitative phase of the study, data were obtained from nine principals, 32 HODs and 62 teachers, while 23 participants comprising school principals, HOD and teachers participated in the qualitative phase of the study. RESULTS : The findings revealed that Namibian principals and heads of departments use multiple strategies employed by the leadership to support their teachers’ professional development efforts. CONCLUSION : Namibian principals and heads of departments play a significant role in supporting teachers’ professional development and hence have established various strategies for improved subject knowledge and pedagogy. CONTRIBUTION : The study contributes to a body of knowledge on school leadership and teacher professional development by unveiling the current practices and relationships between school leaders and their teachers’ professional development in Namibia.