Challenges faced by Namibian school principals and heads of departments in the professional development of school teachers

Abstract

School leadership members play an important role in influencing teacher practices through teacher professional development. However, school leaders often face challenges in their efforts to successfully develop teachers professionally. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to present the challenges faced by the Namibian principals and heads of departments in their quest to support their teachers’ professional development for improved subject knowledge and pedagogy. The findings presented in this article were obtained during the qualitative phase of a mixed method study conducted in the Otjiwarongo’s education circuit of the Otjozondjupa region in Namibia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 participants comprising school principals and heads of departments. The findings revealed that Namibian principals and heads of departments faced challenges such as inadequate resources; lack of or insufficient time; multiple responsibilities; resistance from teachers; lack of or poor governmental support; and poor subject knowledge and pedagogies. To address the challenges of inadequate resources and poor governmental support, it is recommended that the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture increases funding and logistical support for professional development programs. To combat the issue of insufficient time and multiple responsibilities, it is recommended that schools should integrate dedicated professional development periods into the regular school schedule. This would ensure that teachers had consistent and focused time for professional growth, minimizing conflicts with their teaching and administrative duties.