Abstract

DUBE, B  and  TSHELANE, MD. The conundrum of the Public Service Commission in Zimbabwean school supervision: Foucauldian view of power dynamics. JCMAN [online]. 2017, vol.14, n.1, pp.812-830. ISSN 1815-7440.

This article discusses, problematises and proposes a critical emancipation supervision strategy (CESS) as a sustainable school supervision strategy to respond to the trajectories of school supervision in Zimbabwe as espoused by the Public Service Commission (PSC). The Foucauldian notion of power dynamics is used for rethinking and critiquing current militant approaches to school supervision as exercised by the PSC. The methodology used was participatory action research, a qualitative approach to generating data. In implementing this methodology, we had discussions with teachers and a public service inspector in Matabeleland North province in Zimbabwe about the PSC's supervision of schools. The data was recorded and analysed through critical discourse analysis. Critical discourse analysis was chosen because it interrogates power relations and correlates with Foucauldian notions of power relations. Results revealed that teachers are not happy with the militant approach of the PSC to school supervision. The PSC approach instils fear, creates unfriendly working conditions and, ultimately, demotivates educators. The study also revealed a lack of professionalism among some teachers, and that the PSC perpetuates contestation, consequently compromising the quality of education. The study recommends negotiated power relations for school supervision, between teachers and PSC officials, premised in the so-called CESS. The government, through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, should rethink the PSC supervision strategy and devise appropriate supervision instruments premised in CESS to motivate teachers and create an environment conducive to teaching and learning.

Keywords : critical discourse analysis (CDA; critical emancipatory supervision strategy (CESS); Foucauldian theory; supervision strategy.

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