Exploring SMTs’ experiences in the supervision of CAPS at South African Primary School in Pinetown District.

Abstract

The aim of the Department of Basic Education is to provide an environment conducive for schooling by appointing competent HoDs of high integrity and professionalism. These schools, regardless of their contexts, are expected to ensure effective implementation and supervision of curriculum guided by CAPS policy. Thus, this study presents a case study of one primary school where three HoDs were participants. The school issituated in the Ntuzuma circuit within the Pinetown district, KwaZulu-Natal. The main aim of the study is to explore HoDs’ experiences of curriculum supervision. Data were generated using one-to-one, semi-structured interviews, reflective activities and focus groups. This study used thematic analysis as the framework for data analysis where a curricular spiders’ web was used as a conceptual framework; thus, both inductive and deductive reasoning were used to strengthen data analysis. The main focus of this study was premised on the assumption that HoDs should demonstrate superior knowledge and understanding of curriculum supervision, and their practice should be seen to influence implementation. The study was able to reveal the myriad forms of interpretation used by HoDs in their quest to perfect curriculum supervision in their respective schools. In short, the study managed to present balanced perspectives on how HoDs in Pinetown understand curriculum management, how they supervise curriculum, and why they supervise the curriculum the way they do. The results show that HoDs always strive to provide their best expert knowledge every time they are required to discharge their daily duties. However, it was noteworthy to learn that these experienced HoDs lack basic knowledge and understanding of the curriculum implementation required for effective supervision of CAPS. This study found that HoDs failed to answer with confidence simple questions about the curriculum spider web used by many educationists to guide curriculum supervision. One of the recommendations was that HoDs must attend refresher courses and learn the basic theories underpinning CAPS before assuming the responsibility of supervising curriculum in order to improve its implementation.