This document summarizes a research study investigating the role of Rectors as pedagogical leaders in monitoring teaching in Mauritian state secondary schools. The study aims to explore the challenges Rectors face in fulfilling their responsibilities as pedagogical leaders and monitoring teaching effectively. Data was collected through lesson observations, educator surveys and Rector interviews. The results found that Rectors have difficulty playing a full pedagogical leadership role due to administrative duties, and monitoring teaching is challenging due to staff shortages. Recommendations include providing more support to Rectors through training and redistributing some duties to allow them to focus on pedagogy.

1. Investigating the Role of Rectors as
Pedagogical School Leaders in Monitoring
Teaching: A Case Study in Mauritian
State Secondary School
Mrs Sangeeta Ramsurrun Nunkoo
Deputy Rector
29th October 2014

2. What prompted me to embark
on this research?
Thirst for more knowledge
Need to perfect practice
Indefinite liking for research
Opportunity to address a major
concern of Mauritian Rectors

3. “Schools teach a 19th century curriculum in
20th century buildings to 21st century students”
John West Burnham

4. My Research Questions
1. How far are present-day Rectors
pedagogical leaders ?
2. What are the major roles and responsibilities
of a pedagogical leader?
3. In what way(s) does/do effective monitoring
of teaching by Pedagogical Leaders impact
on school effectiveness?

5. Aims
Explore major challenges of Rectors in
assuming their role and responsibilities as
pedagogical leaders
Bring to light ways and means to better
assist Rectors as Pedagogical Leaders in
their task of monitoring of teaching

6. Literature Review
 Pedagogical Leadership
 Pedagogical versus Instructional Leadership
 Roles and Responsibilities of the Pedagogical Leader
 Pedagogical & Distributed Leadership
 Monitoring of Teaching by the Pedagogical Leader
Scrutiny of pedagogical Documents
Lesson Observation

7. Non-Probabilistic Sampling Method
Convenience Sampling
 Enables easy access to
participants for
Observation and
administering the Survey
Questionnaire
Purposive Sampling
 Most suitable to gather
information through Survey
Questionnaire and
Interview
 Avoids hassle of
establishing rapport with

8. My Sample
 Educators & Rectors
• Age
• Gender
• Level of interest in subject
 Ethical Issues
• Permission of Rectors
• Explanations given to Participants
• Anonymity of Participation
• Findings to be communicated to Participants

9. Data - Gathering Tools
 Observation – Educators at work
• Participant /Non-participant Observer
 Survey Questionnaire – Educators
• Close & open-ended questions
 Interview – Rectors
• Semi-structured

10. Analysis of Data
 Qualitative
• Detailed and rich
• intensively descriptive
• Interpretative, critical and reflective
 Quantitative
• Descriptive Statistics
• Tables, pie or bar charts do not lie provided they are
understood
 Blend of both helped achieve a somewhat good balance and
reach a valid data

11. Results
 Rectors cannot assume their role as pedagogical leaders
fully as they are bogged down by too many administrative
duties and hosts of other responsibilities thrust upon them
by the Ministry
 Rectors agree that monitoring of teaching is a pre-requisite
for students’ improved performance and impacts on overall
school effectiveness but deplore the fact that due shortage
and incompetency of staff they cannot be effective
pedagogical school Leaders

12. Results
 Rectors practice distributed leadership as far as
pedagogy/Monitoring of Teaching is concerned
 Contribution to the professional development of
educators is limited to staff and department meetings where
matters pertaining to teaching and learning are usually
discussed

13. Reflection on Results
 The pedagogical school leader should focus fully on the planning,
organisation and implementation of the curriculum and on the monitoring of
teaching and learning
 To be an effective pedagogical school leader, the Rector needs to practice
distributed leadership and should also favour the professional development
of staff
 Monitoring of teaching is challenging and is mainly carried out in schools
for the sake of administrative convenience
 When the monitoring exercise is irregular and ineffective, the quality of
teaching suffers and the vision of Quality Education of MOEHR faces
a setback

14. Recommendations
 MOEHR
• Issue of shortage of staff to be resolved
• Creation of post of discipline master
• Pool of officers available for replacement of staff on leave
• Training of Rectors ,Senior Educators and School Superintendents
 The School &The Rector
• Teachers , students & parents to alter mindset
• Performance standards to be raised and laxity of any sort not to be
tolerated – PMS in force
• Practice of distributed leaders for ‘unpedagogical’ tasks
• Clinical supervision and classroom walkthroughs to be encouraged
• Regular in-house training sessions for educators

15. THANK YOU