The influence of educational provision on teacher performance and learner outcomes among Limpopo primary schools

Abstract

In the study reported on here the problem of inadequacies in educational provisioning among public schools that has a negative influence on teachers’ productivity and learners’ academic outcomes was examined. The primary objective of this study was to examine teachers’ and principals’ perceptions on the influence of educational provision on teacher performance and learner outcomes. The study was informed by critical social theory. The study tapped from the interconnection of constructivist and interpretivist paradigms and qualitative research, in using lived experiences and reflections of participants. Semi-structured interviews and observations were used to collect data from 5 school principals and 10 teachers in 5 primary schools in the Limpopo province, South Africa. Inadequacies in school provisioning was found to influence teacher performance and learner outcomes, causing psychological stress and low morale among teachers as a result of poor working conditions. Inadequacies in school resources constitute an unfair and unjust practice by the Department of Education and infringes upon learners’ right to education. Such infringement exacerbates learners’ demotivation, which subsequently results in them dropping out of school. Poor schools ultimately exclude Black students from quality education in South Africa. I recommend that the Department spearheads the implementation of the Framework on Equitable Provision of Infrastructure in Public Schools as a matter of urgency to ensure equity and access for poor schools.

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“…These outcomes may well be due not only to the education system as such but also in part to the fundamental challenges faced by many schools such as poor subject content, weak pedagogical knowledge base displayed by teachers, and absenteeism, as well as the lack of political will to remedy—or the lack of ability to improve—the poor infrastructure and resources at these schools (Jansen, 2012; Moorosi & Bantwini, 2016). This situation, inherited from the gross inequalities in the past, can certainly never contribute in any way to an effective teaching and learning environment and can easily lead to disadvantaged learners and disheartened teachers (Du Plessis & Mestry, 2019; Mojapelo, 2018; Thaba-Nkadimene, 2020), and need to be addressed via academic and emotional support for both teachers and learners if learners are to achieve academic success.…”