This 2012 Masters mini-dissertation by Khethiwe Sibongiseni Jabulisile Mathe set out to investigate the policy of whole school evaluation in South Africa, specifically referring to the effect that educator development has on whole school evaluation. The study was restricted to primary and secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal.
The authors argue that educator and school development are inextricably linked, and school improvement is largely dependent on the efforts of educators.
Mathe argued that educator development equips teachers with the skills and behaviours they need to help navigate various challenges (violence, ill-discipline, the redeployment of educators and more), create a positive environment, and provide opportunities for learning and growth.
“By developing the staff potential and recognizing the specialized subject needs of the individual educators, the quality of learners’ learning can be assured,” Mathe writes. “Improved learner achievement is one of the dividends yielded by professional development of educators.”
