Munemo and Tom
Greener Journal of Educational Research Vol. 3 (3), pp. 094-107, May 2013
ISSN: 2276-7789
Research Paper
Manuscript Number: 032713549
The Effectiveness of Supervision of Specialist Teachers in Special Schools and Resource Units in Mashonaland East and Harare Provinces (Zimbabwe)
1Emmanuel Munemo, *2Tom Tom
1Programme Leader, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences; Department of Disability Studies and Special Needs Education, Zimbabwe Open University, Harare, Zimbabwe.
2Programme Leader, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences; Department of Development Studies, Zimbabwe Open University, Harare, Zimbabwe.
1Email: munemoemmanuel9 @ gmail. com
*Corresponding Author’s Email: grantomt @ gmail.com
granchuwedi @ yahoo. com
Abstract:
In the Zimbabwe education
system, there are comprehensive programmes in the area of
supervision. These programmes are offered by different
institutions. Regrettably, none of these programmes has been
extended to cover supervision of specialist teachers
teaching in special schools, resource units and special
classes. Determining the effectiveness of supervision of
these teachers was the thrust of this research study. The
study was carried out in two provinces of Mashonaland East
and Harare. A qualitative descriptive survey was used to
collect data from a sample of fifty teachers. Results
indicated that supervision of specialist teachers left a lot
to be desired. It was revealed that supervision by
supervisors who were not trained in the area of special
education was not benefiting the teachers. The study also
found out that supervision was regarded as a way of finding
faults and destroying the confidence of supervisees. On the
whole, it was established that supervision of specialist
teachers was not being carried out effectively.
Recommendations made included the following: that teacher
education colleges should offer a supervisory component in
special needs education, that school heads needed staff
development in supervision of specialist teachers and that
there was urgent need to invest in financial and material
resources to realize effective supervision. Attitudes of
mainstream teachers and supervisors towards special needs
education also needed to change for the better, since these
were found to be a major factor in impeding effective
supervision. The appointment of Education Officers and
District Education Officers who are trained in special needs
education also needed to be attended to as a matter of
urgency.
Keywords: Specialist teachers, Special education,
Supervision, Special school and resource unit.
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