Role Of School Monitoring In School Quality Enhancement

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to explore the extent to which school monitoring has an impact upon the school quality enhancement in secondary schools of District Lahore and to give some insights into how it might be organized to influence school quality enhancement. The study was essentially qualitative and employed 21 participants. These were 1 District Education Officer, 10 secondary school teachers and 10 school monitors. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The findings indicated that school monitoring plays a potential role towards improving school quality. Teachers perceived the advice and feedback given through monitoring reports and recommendations useful for making improvements in their work performance. However, the study found that monitoring reports and recommendations were not acted upon by the respective authorities to bring about effective impact on school quality. It was also found that, to some extent school monitors had succeeded in establishing positive relations with teachers. A few of teachers stated that school monitors used friendly language when discussing with them. It was also found that school monitors’ working conditions were poor. For example, they did not have a means of transport nor field allowances to facilitate their visits in schools. From the above findings, the study recommends the government to commit its resources towards school monitoring department for effective monitoring of the quality education provided. Classroom observations should be of central focus of the school monitors for their impact on school quality.  Moreover, for improvements in school to be achieved the District Education Officer (DEO) should make use of the monitoring findings and recommendations.