Teacher perceptions of the effectiveness of teacher appraisal in Botswana

Abstract

The major aim of teacher appraisal is to develop teachers in order to improve their delivery in schools. The effectiveness of the process of teacher appraisal is, however, dependent on the perceptions of the teachers themselves. Since the expansion o f the education system of Botswana in the 1970s and 1980s, as a result of the cardinal reforms, there has been concern about quality. One of the quality assurance measures introduced was teacher appraisal. The current teacher appraisal scheme in Botswana was introduced in 1992 as a non-threatening, valid, and extensive system to develop the individua l and the school. In this article we address the following question: What are teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the current system of teacher appraisal as practised in Botswana secondary schools? Both quantitative and qualitative methods of research were employed to address the question. The teachers' perceptions of the effectiveness of their appraisal are categorised according to the following key terms: teacher performance; motivation of teachers; working relationships; teacher training on appraisal; “an axe ready to chop teachers”; and “no purpose”. South African Journal of Education Vol. 26(3) 2006: 427–441