Instructional leadership in community secondary schools in iringa urban - tanzania

The study analysed the instructional leadership (IL) practices engaged in by heads of community secondary schools to enhance classroom instruction and student learning. Three objectives guided the study: to identify IL tasks that heads of schools (HoSs) engaged in on a daily basis and their role in defining the school vision, mission and goals; to examine the role played by HoSs in managing the instructional programme; and to investigate the role played by HoSs in promoting the school learning climate. The case study design was used. Data were gathered through interviews, focus group discussion, documentary review and observation. Informants were HoSs, senior academic masters (SAMs), teachers and students. The data from interviews and focus group discussion were analysed and displayed using descriptive matrix tables. Data from observation and documentary review were subjected to content analysis. HoSs engaged in the following IL tasks: inspecting teachers’ attendance at school, checking teachers’ attendance in classrooms and attending to teachers’ problems. However, IL tasks did not take up the majority of HoSs’ time. 50 percent of HoSs did not ensure the existence of the vision and mission in their schools. 100 percent of schools lacked stated school goals. Furthermore, the instructional programme was not effectively managed, heads of department were not involved in curriculum coordination, syllabi were not covered on time, and HoSs did not undertake classroom observations or engage in a review of curriculum materials. Moreover, the schools’ learning climate was not adequately promoted, instructional time was habitually interrupted, teachers and students were infrequently motivated and 83 percent of the schools had no programme for teachers’ professional development. The study concluded that the ineffective engagement in IL by HoSs was due to their capacity constraints. HoSs had limited knowledge of IL. It is recommended that capacity building programmes for HoSs should focus on acquainting them with the model of IL so that they can institute it in their schools