Implementation of the Annual National Assessment in schools : the role of school management

Abstract

The aim of this research was to explore the management of the implementation of Annual National Assessments (ANA) by school management teams. This study involved a literature review and empirical research. A qualitative research method was used to elicit information from participants by means of individual and focus group interviews. The literature review revealed essential information about ANA. This information included reasons for introducing ANA and the administration thereof. Although ANA was intended to be a diagnostic tool, its introduction was also an attempt to break the strong tradition of focusing on the grade 12 examination results and improvements in these results while neglecting lower grades. Data were collected from the deputy principal, Head of Departments (HODs) and the teachers offering subjects that were evaluated by means of the ANA, namely English and Mathematics. I conducted two group interviews and individual interviews with five teachers. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. Three sites were purposefully selected and a total number of twelve teachers participated. The research sites comprised of one secondary and two primary schools. The study revealed the roles performed by School Management Teams (SMTs) during the implementation of the ANA and the challenges encountered by both SMTs and teachers involved with the ANA. Although the SMTs played the roles of planning, organising resources, coordinating activities, monitoring and providing support, they were only focusing on the functionality of ANA and not viewing it as a diagnostic tool that would enable them to have better results and improve their teaching. Challenges included increased workload, assessment of work not done in class and perception of ANA as a time-consuming activity. There were also positive and negative judgements about ANA, which were indicated as adding or not adding value to teaching and learning.