Abstract:
Staff development may be necessary in order to improve the performance of educators
and the quality of learning of learners. The purpose of this study was therefore to
determine the current state of staff development in secondary schools. The study
sought to examine the kind of programmes, methods and procedures used in carrying
out and improving the development of educators and make recommendations on how
staff development could possibly be executed in secondary schools.
The qualitative research approach is used in this study as it seeks to represent reality
from the perspective of the respondent, without interfering with or biasing that
perspective, in their own words and using their own concepts. The findings of this
study reveal that most secondary schools do not have a policy for staff development
and that there are not enough opportunities for the development of staff in those
schools. It was also found that staff development is not evaluated in schools, even in
those schools that do offer some opportunities. This indicates that staff development
is not given enough priority in most schools. It is recommended that a policy for staff
development be formulated and that those in management should know how staff
development should be planned, organised, implemented and evaluated in secondary
schools. Relevant staff development activities should therefore be designed in these
schools in order to enhance the knowledge, skills and attitudes of educators so that
they may, in turn, improve the learning of learners.
