Effective supervision in Zanzibar’s primary school: Strategies, effectiveness, and challenges of school management

Mansour Jallow and Shehe Abdalla Moh’d

African Educational Research Journal
Published: April 8 2026
Volume 14, Issue 2
Pages 335-344
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19468252

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of effective supervision on the school management system at Akiba Primary School, Zanzibar. Using a qualitative approach, data were collected through face-to-face interviews with eight participants, including the headmaster, teachers, and administrators, and analyzed using Clarke and Braun’s thematic analysis. The findings revealed that supervision practices such as classroom visitations, peer supervision, external supervision, and regular monitoring of teacher attendance contributed to an improved school system. The headmaster’s inclusive leadership style, which emphasized shared responsibilities and accountability among staff, further strengthened the supervision process. However, several challenges were identified, including inadequate content knowledge among some teachers, heavy administrative workload, and bias in conflict resolution, all of which limited the effectiveness of supervision. The study concludes that effective supervision is essential for improving school performance but must be carefully planned, collaborative, and professional. It recommends delegating administrative duties and ensuring fairness and objectivity in supervision practices.

Keywords: Supervision, school practice, academic performance.

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