An assessment of the implementation of teacher performance appraisal system in Zimbabwe

369 Pages·2012·2.41 MB·English

An assessment of the implementation of teacher performance appraisal system in
Zimbabwe: a study of 12 selected primary schools in Bulawayo Metropolitan
Province
by
Joyce Mathwasa

A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
In the Faculty of Education at the
UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE

Promoter: Dr N. Duku
January 2012
i
DECLARATION
I earnestly proclaim that this thesis is entirely a product of my own research and has not
been submitted in any form for another degree or diploma at any other university or
other institution of tertiary education. Information originating from the published or
unpublished work of other authors has been acknowledged in the text and a list of
references is presented.

----------------------------------- -------------------------------------
Mathwasa J. Date

i
ABSTRACT
The massive campaign by Zimbabwe to educate all children was achieved through the
“education for all” policy. When quantity had been achieved more focus was on quality
issues. The quality concerns coincided with market-based developments which
compelled Zimbabwe to adopt change reforms such as the teacher performance
appraisal, one of which focused on quality teaching strategies that would enhance
learners’ quality academic achievement.
Nevertheless since its inception in 1996 and subsequent implementation in 2000,
teachers through their unions have challenged the use of the appraisal which quantifies
the teacher’s work, alleging their work cannot be atomized into separate elements to be
measured, weighed and then ticked off. The contention highlighted above prompted the
need for a research to be carried out which sought to assess:
 How is the performance appraisal system being implemented in the primary
schools?
A mixed methods design which is located in the postpositivist paradigm which produced
in-depth, detailed, rich data from personal perspectives and experiences that resulted in
realistic understanding, interpreted through the social and cultural context of the
respondent’s lives. Educators resisted the imported system alleging it was imposed on
them without adaptation to local environment. Lack of pilot-testing of the system, lack of
proper training and lack of a meaningful reward system perverted the system to a mere
ritual that frustrated implementers who found it difficult to use it in their daily work.
The study recommends the following:
 That the educators be incorporated in designing an appraisal system that
encompasses the whole teacher’s work package which is geared towards
teaching the whole child.
 That there be a more efficient and sustainable reward system.
 That the system be interwoven into supervisory mechanisms so that there is no
demarcation between the appraisal and daily supervision.
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost I am grateful and thank the Lord Almighty for providing me with the
opportunity to pursue this degree and for all the breakthroughs during my stay in South
Africa. I count my blessings all the time and thank my God from whom they flow. I
sincerely thank Dr. N. Duku my promoter, for all the supervision, the support, the
guidance, the encouragement and patience without which the thesis would not have
been a success.
My gratitude goes to Govan Mbeki Research and Development Centre for providing
financial assistance that ensured my stay at the University was secure.
I also want to express my gratitude to Prof. S. Rembe, Mr. M. Adendorff for their moral
support, professional support and acting in “loco Parentis” to me. I sincerely thank my
senior colleagues, Dr Mabhena Mpofu, Dr Reuben Tshuma for showing the direction in
research. To my fellow colleagues, Jenny Shumba, Faith Tlou, Servious Mutopa, Denis
Muzenda, Gladwin Bhebhe and Simon Taukeni, you deserve my praise, for all the
fruitful discussions and the unwavering support you gave me in the darkest hours of my
study.
I am appreciably indebted to my children for their financial support, for without them
sacrificing their holiday spending, I would not have completed this degree. Furthermore
I had the privilege of having parents who continually encouraged and instilled in me the
wisdom that the sky is the limit in terms of education, sadly though, my dad did not live
long enough to witness this achievement. God bless you mum, and may my dad’s soul
rest in peace.
Special thanks go to my nieces who endured years without a breadwinner as I pursued
my studies. Your support and encouragement kept me alive. I also want to pay special
tribute to Regina Ncube affectionately known as Madu for keeping my home fires
burning without complaining. I may not vividly express my gratitude but can only pray
God blesses you abundantly. I owe a lot to my siblings Maureen, Davis, Rocky, my late
iii
brother Oliver who enrolled me for my first degree and Mabhena who believed in me to
be where I am today. Thank you so much
I am grateful to Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture and Provincial Education
Director of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province for granting me permission to carry out my
research in the selected primary schools.
Finally but by no means the least, special acknowledgements go to the Public Service
Inspectors, the school heads and the teachers who actively participated in this research
study. Your insight enriched my understanding of the phenomenon under study.

iv
DEDICATION
To my late dad and brother; to my children Hilary, Sifiso, Thembelihle, Olivia &
Ntando and my grandchildren Mphokuhle, Jamie, Nontsikelelo & Tyler Baphiwe

v
ACRONYMS
‘A’ Level Advanced level
‘O’ Level Ordinary Level
BSPZ Better Schools Programme Zimbabwe
DAS Developmental Appraisal System
DPED Deputy Provincial Education Director
DSG Development Support Grouping
EO Education Officer
ESAP Economic Structural Adjustment Programme
GDP Gross Domestic Product
HOD Head of Department
INSET In-service Training
IQMS Integrated Quality Management Systems
KRA Key Result Areas
MoESAC Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture
PA Performance Appraisal
PAC Provincial Assessment Committee
PAIA Performance Audit and Inspectorate Agency
PAS Performance Appraisal System
PDM Participation in Decision Making
PM Performance Management
PRP Performance-Related Pay
PSA Public Servants Association
PSC Public Service Commission
PSI Public Service Inspector
PSRC Public Service Review Commission
vi
SBC School Bases Committee
SMART Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Result-oriented and Time-framed
SSB Salary Service Bureau
TVZ Teachers’ Voice in Zimbabwe
WSE Whole School Evaluation
ZIMTA Zimbabwe Teachers Association

vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................................. I
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................. II
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .............................................................................................................................. III
DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................................ V
ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................................ VI
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... XVI
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................................ 1
CONCEPTUALISATION OF THE PROBLEM ............................................................................................. 1
1.1 INTRODUCTIONS ........................................................................................................................ 1
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................. 2
1.3 HISTORY OF TEACHER PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IN ZIMBABWE .................................... 5
1.3.1 The pre-independence era (Before 1980) .................................................................................... 5
1.3.2 The post-independence era (From 1980 to present) .................................................................... 5
1.4 NEW TEACHER APPRAISAL SYSTEMS: PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL .................................. 8
1.4.1 Implementation of the performance appraisal system (PAS) ....................................................... 9
1.4.1.1 Issues in implementation ............................................................................................................................ 11
1.5 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM .............................................................................................. 13
1.6 RESEARCH QUESTION .................................................................................................................... 14
1.6.1 Research sub-questions ............................................................................................................. 14
1.7 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY ..................................................................................................... 15
1.8 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................................................ 15
1.9 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................... 16
1.10 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ 16
1.11 PARADIGMATIC PERSPECTIVES ...................................................................................................... 17
1.11.1 Assumptions ............................................................................................................................... 17
1.12 DEFINITION OF CENTRAL CONCEPTS ................................................................................... 18
1.12.1 Assessment ................................................................................................................................ 18
1.12.2 Implementation ........................................................................................................................... 19
1.12.3 Performance appraisal (PA) ....................................................................................................... 19
1.12.4 Quality Education ........................................................................................................................ 20
1.13 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY ................................................................................................ 21
1.14 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY .............................................................................................. 22
viii
CHAPTER 2 ................................................................................................................................................ 24
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ...................................................................................................... 24
2.1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 24
2.2 THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ............................................................................................... 24
2.2.1 POLICY IMPLEMENTATION ...................................................................................................... 24
2.2.2 The evolution of the concept ‘performance appraisal’ ................................................................ 30
2.2.3 Definitions of the concept ‘performance appraisal’ ..................................................................... 31
2.2.3.1 Academic definitions .................................................................................................................................. 32
2.2.3.2 Consultancy and research institute definitions of PA.................................................................................. 34
2.2.4 Outcomes of Performance Appraisals ........................................................................................ 36
2.2.4.1 Individual Outcomes ................................................................................................................................... 37
2.2.4.2 Organisational Outcomes ........................................................................................................................... 37
2.2.5 Factors Associated With Effective Performance Appraisal Systems ......................................... 41
2.3 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL AND THE EDUCATION SYSTEM ............................................. 43
2.3.1 A brief history of appraisal in education ...................................................................................... 43
2.3.2 Motivations for Accountability in Education ................................................................................ 45
2.4 THE HISTORY OF APPRAISALS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA ....................................................... 46
2.5 THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PAS IN ZIMBABWE .................................................................. 48
2.5.1 The Management Structure of the PAS in Zimbabwe ................................................................ 49
2.5.1.1 Strategies of Teacher Appraisals ............................................................................................................... 52
2.5.2 Models of Employee Performance Appraisals ............................................................................ 58
2.5.2.1 Accountability Model .................................................................................................................................. 58
2.5.2.2 The Developmental Model ......................................................................................................................... 59
2.5.2.3 The Managerial Model ................................................................................................................................ 62
2.5.2.4 The Collegial Model.................................................................................................................................... 64
2.5.3 Performance Appraisal and Teacher competency ..................................................................... 65
2.5.4 Challenges in the Implementation of Teacher Appraisal ............................................................ 66
2.5.5 General Thoughts ....................................................................................................................... 68
2.6 TEACHER APPRAISAL AND QUALITY EDUCATION ............................................................... 70
2.6.1 School-Head Appraisal of Teachers and Quality Education ...................................................... 71
2.6.2 Issues in School-Head Appraisal of Teachers ............................................................................ 73
2.6.3 Evaluating Teacher Appraisal and Competence ........................................................................ 76
2.6.4 Individuality versus team work in PA .......................................................................................... 78
2.7 TEACHER PERCEPTIONS OF THE APPRAISAL SYSTEM ...................................................... 79
2.8 ENABLING TEACHER PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL .............................................................. 80
2.8.1 Training for the PAS implementation .......................................................................................... 80
ix