DOI: 10.36347/sjahss.2020.v08i09.007

Pages: 474-481

This study sought to assess the instructional supervision practices of school principals in the Midlands Province primary schools in Zimbabwe. The study employed the mixed methods research methodology and adopted pragmatism as its philosophy and triangulation as its design. The sample comprised of eight-nine respondents and participants who were randomly and purposively selected. The study’s data collection and generation instruments were the questionnaire and the interview guide. Data from documents complemented data from the two major instruments. The study revealed that supervisors were not prioritising class visits as a result of many competing programmes on their itineraries. The study also revealed that instructional supervisors were overloaded with a multiplicity of chores which distracted them from carrying out effective instructional supervision. In terms of models of supervision, it emerged that the instructional supervisors had vast knowledge about various models of supervision, and yet it was clear that they were not using any specific model. They inevitably resorted to what was feasible within the context of their operations; which unfortunately is not enough for effective instructional supervision. The researcher recommends that instructional supervisors should prioritise their operations so that the bulk of their working time is taken up by instructional supervision related activities. The study also recommends that instructional supervisors should use supervision models that encourage interaction between the supervisor and supervisee and should not promote fault-finding or supervisor dominance during the instructional supervision process. `