Abstract:
This study was conducted to examine the instructional supervisory roles of Circuit
Supervisors in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region. This was a qualitative
research underpinned by the interpretive paradigm. The design for the study was case
study. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 1 Director of Education, 7
Circuit Supervisors, 5 headteachers who were chairmen of Conference of Heads of
Basic schools and 7 of their Assistant heads. Data was gathered using semi-structured
interview guide and the data collected was analysed thematically. The study revealed
that the supervisory roles of Circuit Supervisors included writing of regular reports,
building relationship, occasional visitation to the schools and receiving complaints
from field and settling disputes among staff. The main challenges facing the Circuit
Supervisors were lack of logistics, lack of in-service training and uncooperative
attitudes of headteachers and teachers. The main strategies for managing the challenges
of the Circuit Supervisors are building capacity, incentivizing the Circuit Supervisors
and frequent follow-up field visits by the District Director of Education. Among others,
the study concluded that Circuit Supervisors should not be taken for granted, for their
challenges are never ending. There may be weaknesses with their supervision, but it is
the Ghana Education Service at the national, regional and district levels which would
have to alleviate these weaknesses. They need to be properly managed to make them
acquire the sense of working to improving academic performance and administrative
efficiency. Therefore, the study recommended that the Circuit Supervisors’ job
satisfaction should also be the top-most priority of the education directorates. When
staff members feel secured, recognized and allowed to use their skills and abilities
better, performance is highly assured.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
AND MANAGEMENT, FACULTY OF EDUCATIONAL STUDIES, SUBMITTED
TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION,
WINNEBA, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
AWARD OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (EDUCATIONAL
ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT) DEGREE
AUGUST, 2017