Evaluating School (in)effectiveness at Selected Underperforming High Schools in Amathole District, Eastern Cape
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23918/ijsses.v13i1p1Keywords:
School Effectiveness, School Leadership, Learner Underperformance, Amathole District, Eastern CapeAbstract
School effectiveness is a dynamic concept in which schools are understood to be either moving toward greater effectiveness or deteriorating in performance. This study investigated the factors that affect school effectiveness, focusing on leadership and infrastructural resources in underperforming schools from the Amathole District in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa. It employed a mixed methodology that included questionnaires and interviews with a sample of the key stakeholders of four Amathole West high schools. The researchers purposely selected four underperforming secondary schools in the Amathole West education district and used convenience sampling to gather input from 16 parents, 12 educators, and 4 Education District Officers (EDOs). The qualitative data was analysed thematically, while for the quantitative data, the researchers used descriptive statistics to summarize the data. The study findings highlight that poor leadership and management have a severe negative impact on academic success and school effectiveness. For instance, responses from the school principals highlighted how teacher absence and negligence correlate with poor education outcomes. Teacher unions have negatively influenced accountability, as the dominant union prevents school management from holding educators responsible for ensuring quality teaching and learning. While most School Government Bodies (SGBs) are non-functional due to members' illiteracy, resulting in an inability to hold principals and educators accountable, leading to dysfunctionality and underperformance. Finally, a shortage of infrastructure was found to limit the curriculum opportunities available to learners in rural schools. Without intervention, these already underperforming schools will likely deteriorate to dismal performance and functionality. The study recommends improvements in school management, parental, and community cohesion and a review of the funding model for underprivileged schools. The study's limitation is that it did not explore all the aspects of school effectiveness, a gap which future research could address for a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.
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