An integrated quality management system as a tool to enhance education in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province

Abstract

The South African education system has been changing its curriculum for decades in a quest to improve teaching and learning in both public and independent schools. Regardless of the alterations in curriculum, educators require intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to improve the quality of their teaching. Programmes such as the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) were put in place to evaluate educators‟ methodologies, and motivate and support them through learning and teaching. The IQMS has paved the way to capacitate educators, open opportunities for their advancement, and motivate them to further their studies to upgrade their professional development. This study sought principals‟ and educators‟ perspectives in respect of the IQMS as a framework with the mandate to bring change in schools by assessing the overall effectiveness of schools, empowering and developing school principals and educators, offering support to educators according to their needs, and evaluating their performance. The aim of the study was to establish whether the IQMS has made an improvement in schools since its inception in 2005. A qualitative approach was adopted wherein data were triangulated using focus group discussions and interviews. Two schools from Capricorn North district and three schools from Capricorn South district took part in the study. The findings revealed that support from the district was insufficient. Some educators would partake in the IQMS process for the sake of implementation and not necessarily follow all the correct procedures; other educators failed to see the need for classroom observation, although self-evaluation scores are not accurate. Based on the above findings, the study recommends that the district should ensure it has sufficient human resources to work closely with schools that experience challenges and to facilitate the IQMS programme. Newly appointed educators should be workshopped for them to deal with the programme easily.