School Evaluation

The introduction of mandatory municipal quality reports has been accompanied by central efforts to build municipal capacity. The common set of indicators in the municipal quality reports does not sufficiently address the quality of teaching and learning. The internal and external evaluation of schools should be based on an agreed set of formal criteria of school quality. Municipal quality reports provide an agenda for dialogue between the municipality and the school principal, plus municipalities are required to produce action plans for schools that are underachieving. However, the degree of followup by municipalities varies and is not always rigorous and objective. Outcome data and evaluation results should form a core part of the municipal monitoring system and discussion and follow-up with schools for improvement. Well led schools benefit from effective use of central or municipal self-evaluation guidelines, plus the rapid availability of results from the national tests. However, this is not the predominant culture. A requirement for schools to produce an annual quality report could be an effective stimulus for school self-evaluation.