Factors that enable high pass rates at Cambridge Overseas School Certificate (C.O.S.C.) level at Botha-Bothe High School in Lesotho.

Abstract

This study sought to investigate factors that enable high pass rates at Cambridge Overseas School Certificate (C.O.S.C.) level at Botha-Bothe High School in Lesotho. The focus of the study has been on three broad possible factors, namely the nature of leadership within the institution, the relationships between administration and teachers, amongst the teachers and between the teachers and learners, as well as resources available in the school. The study used a triangulation of three instruments: interviewing, observation and document analysis to collect data. These three instruments helped the researcher to collect proof-checked information and arrive at concretized conclusions. The Principal, Deputy-Principal, HODs and teachers who participated in interviews, handed to the researcher the necessary documents and took the researcher around to different teaching centres. Having investigated and correlated all the results, the researcher concluded that the following are possible factors that could improve pass rates. The first factor is a sound leadership that allows interaction, that manages time, that motivates other stakeholders, and that includes its subordinates in decision-making. The second factor is warm relationships between management and staff, amongst the academic staff and between teachers and students. The third factor is the availability and good management of resources (human and material).