The role of the school management team in the implementation of an assessment policy in primary schools

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to determine the extent of the role of the school management team in implementing an assessment policy. Related themes that were addressed in this investigation were assessment requirements and the role of the school management team in relation to assessment. An explanation of the Outcomes-based Education (OBE) approach served as a basis for the clarification of assessment in this research, because assessment is viewed as an integral part of OBE. The requirements of assessment were accordingly identified and discussed in detail, e.g. types of assessment, purpose of assessment, forms of assessment and methods of assessment. The role of the school management team was subsequently clarified in relation to the implementation of an assessment policy with a focus on the composition of the school management team and the roles, responsibilities and core duties of the different members of the school management team. The accumulated information from the literature overview formed a coherent basis for the development of a management plan and theoretical framework for school management teams to manage assessment in primary schools of the Jouberton education district. The description of the research design was aimed to provide a systematic outline of the research process and methodology to empirically investigate the extend of the role of the school management team in implementing an assessment policy. The research was based on a quantitative survey with the use of a structured questionnaire that included qualitative open-ended questions to determine the extent of the role of the school management team in implementing an assessment policy in primary schools in the Jouberton education district. The results from the empirical investigation proved to be complementary to the proposed theoretical framework for the management of assessment in schools. The responses from the empirical investigation revealed some tendencies and needs according to the different sections of the questionnaire. Guidelines were accordingly formulated for the enhancement of the competency of the members of the school management teams to implement a management plan for implementing an assessment policy in the schools of the study population.