The impact of development planning on learner achievement: a case study of four Johannesburg East District primary schools

[摘要] School development planning (SDP) is a major driving force to achieve improvements in thequality of teaching and learning, and participation of stakeholders in school management.This study discusses research findings on the planning practices in primary schools based onthe perceptions and experiences of principals of the impact of development planning towardsimproving learner achievement in Johannesburg District East in Gauteng, South Africa. Aqualitative methods approach involving survey and case study was utilized to addressresearch questions. This study identifies principals’ leadership, networking and teamworkamongst stakeholders, and improvements in teaching and learning as some of the benefits ofSDP. This is premised on the fact that SDP is a highly technical process that requires skillsand know-how to be executed successfully. However, the implementation of developmentplanning is limited by inadequate Department of Education support, resources andcontinuous professional development of principals. It is argued that SDP is fraught withnumerous challenges that require an approach that focuses on its, that is, schoolimprovement and management of planned change. The findings will assist the district todesign strategies to improve management schools through SDP.

[发布机构] University of the Witwatersrand