Investigating mitigating strategies that SMT could use to enhance learners' academic performance in their final year of LGCSE

Abstract

Education is significant in the lives of human beings. Secondary education level is a bridge to accessing tertiary education, and is a key determinant of national development and individual liberation. Therefore, academic performance at secondary level is of great interest to the nation. However, Phokeng High School (PHS) persistently produces poor academic performance of learners. Therefore, the current study investigated the school- based contributory factors to poor academic performance of learners at PHS, and explored the mitigating strategies that the Senior Management Team (SMT) could employ to alleviate this poor academic performance. The current research used a qualitative approach, as it allows participants to express their experiences, and case study design to explore the views of different categories of role-players within PHS. Five members of the SMT, six teachers, three parents and four learners were purposively selected to participate in the study. The information was gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed by thematic analysis technique. The study revealed contributory factors to poor learners’ academic performance and the possible remedies to the problem. The study revealed the following as the contributory factors to the poor academic performance of PHS learners: breaching school policies, lack of learners’ commitment to their studies, lack of teachers’ commitment, limited learners’ academic guidance, unfavourable working conditions, ineffective school board, bullying and banning of the use ocell phones or anygadgets on the school premises. Adherence to the school goals and policies, increased role-players’ collaboration and increased support to the teaching and learning were revealed to be possible mitigation strategies. The study recommends that the SMT should at all times engage all the relevant role-players, particularly teachers and parents, while developing and implementing the school master plan. The study further recommends that the SMT, as the instructional leaders, should provide support to teachers as important role-players in the provision of quality education at PHS. This suggested support could be in the form of classroom observations and the provision of timely and constructive feedback, prioritising the teaching and learning materials and staff development programmes that will not only empower teachers with the recommended teaching approaches but further motivate them