Contribution of External Quality Assurance in Improving Instructional Practices among Heads of Schools and Teachers in Secondary Schools in Zanzibar

Abstract

In this study, we explored the contribution of External School Quality Assurance (ESQA) towards the improvement of instructional practices among Heads of Schools (HoSs) and teachers in secondary schools in Zanzibar. A mixed-methods research approach coupled with a convergent parallel design was employed to generate data. Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to get the study participants. Data were collected from the Kaskazini Region in Unguja. The study involved 167 teachers, 12 HoSs, 1 REO, 2 DEO, and 11 ESQ assurers. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and documentary review and analyzed through content analysis and bar charts. The findings indicate that although ESQA has a great contribution to the improvement of instructional practices, classroom observation was not effectively carried out by ESQ assurers. The findings also indicate that ESQ assurers created fear and tension among teachers because teachers knew that their work performance was to be reported to higher authority. The findings indicate further that there were irregular school visits which hindered the HoSs' and teachers’ effective improvement of instructional practices. The key argument in this study is that the current ESQA is ineffective in enhancing instructional practices in secondary schools. For ESQA to contribute to the improvement of instructional practices among HoSs and teachers, ESQ assurers need to concentrate on classroom observation. The government needs to support the ESQA with both human and financial resources and training programmes for the ESQ assurers are equally imperative for effective monitoring of the quality of education in secondary schools.