Abstract:
Global studies show that educator development and whole-school improvement policies exist. Despite
these measures, schools and educators remain oblivious of the intents, purposes and original goals of these policy
measures. Whole School Evaluation (WSE) is the official evaluation system in South Africa; schools undergo both
external and internal evaluation. This study explores the extent of educator involvement in internal evaluation,
School Self-Evaluation (SSE) in some South African schools. Educator views on SSE in relation to their professional
development are issues warranting deeper scrutiny. Data were gathered from 125 educators in sixteen randomly
selected schools using a mixed mode approach. Data from interviews were analysed by developing categories and
making comparisons and contrasts. The research findings suggest that educators are neither sufficiently trained nor
are they aware of the significance of their role in the process. Results further show that school self-evaluation
affects the educators’ professional learning. The paper suggests that supportive school leadership and a collaborative
educator culture are catalytic for whole school improvement.
