Strategies that leadership employ to support teacher professional development in Namibia
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Date
2024
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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.
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Keywords
School leadership, Teacher professional development, Professional development strategies, School principals, Heads of Department, Leadership