Principals’ Supervisory Skill and Teachers’ Effectiveness In Public Secondary Schools In The South West Region Of Cameroon

This study was designed to examine the impact of principals’ supervisory skill on teachers’ effectiveness in public secondary schools in the South West Region of Cameroon. To achieve the objective of the study, one research question and hypothesis guided the study. The study adopted a mixed-methods research approach specifically the concurrent survey research design. The population of the study comprised of teachers, principals and students from public secondary schools in the South West Region of Cameroon. The sample was made up of 280 teachers, 270 high school students and 18 principals. The purposive sampling technique and simple random sampling technique was adopted for the study. Questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were the instruments used for the study. The questionnaire consisted of both close and open-ended questions for teachers and semi-structured interview guide for principals. The instruments were subjected to various validity and reliability checks as appropriate. Data from close ended questions were analysed using SPSS 23.0, with the aid of descriptive and inferential statistical tools while open ended questions were analysed thematically. The Spearman's rho was used to test the research hypotheses formulated in the study. Findings reviled that majority 81.3% of teachers indicate that their principals’ supervisory skill influences their effectiveness in public secondary schools while 18.7% do not. Also, the findings reveal that teachers and principals generally perceive effective principal supervisory skills as essential for improving teachers’ effectiveness. Teachers’ responses indicate that supervision promotes orderliness by ensuring teachers perform their duties correctly, prepare lessons, and contribute to the smooth functioning of the school. Supervision was also viewed as a source of teacher motivation and encouragement, as principals’ guidance, presence, and recognition encourage teachers to be more committed and responsible. Furthermore, respondents emphasized teacher accountability and performance, noting that regular follow-up and monitoring help teachers meet expectations, identify weaknesses, and improve their work. The findings also highlight the role of supervision in professional growth, as principals’ guidance, feedback, and support enhance teachers’ skills, job satisfaction, and instructional practices. Through supervisory techniques and practices such as classroom checks, observations, and monitoring, principals help teachers remain focused and effective. Although a few teachers disagreed, arguing that personal commitment and professional conscience are more important than supervision, the majority acknowledged its positive influence. Principals’ responses further support these views, showing that they use classroom observations, feedback and evaluation, encouragement of innovation, collaborative planning, and monitoring of implementation to guide teachers. Their supervisory skills enhance instructional effectiveness by providing targeted feedback, facilitating professional development, fostering collaboration and peer support, and cultivating a positive learning environment where teachers feel supported and motivated to improve their practices. The hypothetical statistics showed that there is a significant, positive and strong relationship between principals’ supervisory skill and teachers’ effectiveness in public secondary schools (R- value 0.573**, p-value < 0.000 < 0.05). The positive sign of the correlation value implies that effective principals’ supervisory skill will contribute to the enhancement of teachers’ effectiveness in public secondary schools. Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected while the alternative that states there is a significant relationship between principals’ supervisory skill and teachers’ effectiveness in public secondary schools was accepted. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the Ministry of Secondary Education, in collaboration with relevant educational authorities, should organize continuous professional development programmes for principals to strengthen their supervisory skills, particularly in areas such as instructional leadership, constructive feedback, classroom observation, teacher mentoring, and collaborative supervision, so that they can effectively support and improve teachers’ effectiveness in public secondary schools.