An investigation into secondary schools teachers' perceptions of the factors that affect quality education in Windhoek Education Region

Abstract

Abstract provided by author:

A questionnaire was developed and used in collecting information from the teachers on their perceptions of quality education in Namibian secondary schools. The questionnaire was administered to 230 teachers in 14 secondary schools. Stratified sampling was used to select schools while stratified and simple random sampling methods were used to select 230 teachers from the schools

Oral interviews were also conducted with 10 secondary school teachers to obtain their views on the factors that affect quality education in Namibia, in addition, some interviews were held with 5 principals. Frequency tables and percentages were used to present and analyze the data collected. The results of the study showed that the majority of the teachers sampled (89. 2 percent) perceived quality education as ensuring the students' mastery of the objectives and goals of education, which should be tested at the end of every grade. Another 86. 6 percent of the teachers perceived quality education as the preparation of young people either for post secondary education/training or for work, while 83. 9 percent perceived quality education as the acquisition of general knowledge about Namibia, science, history and technology

The key factors that were identified to be the attainment of quality education were: provision of qualified teachers in all the schools in Namibia (92. 6 percent); making sure that all teachers in the schools were qualified in the subject of specialization (90 percent); equitable distribution of funds to all the schools in Namibia (88. 7 percent); building laboratories and libraries in all the schools in Namibia (86. 9 percent) and having a good learning environment in the country (86. 5 percent)

The above findings were supported through the interviews held with the five principals who enumerated some obstacles to the attainment of quality education such as, lack of quality teachers in both the primary and secondary schools; lack of educational facilities in the schools; disintegration of discipline in schools, and overcrowded classes. They suggested that if government employed qualified teachers in all the schools, provided educational materials to the learners and teachers, schools maintain discipline and class sizes reduced to below 30 in all schools, quality education would be attained. However, the development of curricula that suits the Namibian learners and the provision of qualified teachers in all the schools in Namibia were ranked highest (92. 6 percent) by the teachers, as factors contributing to the attainment of quality education in the country