Principals and Teachers’ Perceptions of Supervision and Evaluation Practices in Federal Directorate of Education, Islamabad

Abstract

Teacher supervision in Pakistan’s Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) schools has historically been a summative, confidential process, prioritizing administrative control over professional growth. This study assessed the pre-existing concepts of school principals and teachers regarding these traditional evaluation practices. A mixed-methods explanatory sequential design was employed, gathering quantitative data through Likert-scale questionnaires from five principals and five teachers in Islamabad, followed by qualitative thematic analysis to explore perceptions in depth. Findings revealed a unanimous view of evaluation as an annual, authoritarian exercise that provides minimal diagnostic feedback or collegial support. A significant lack of awareness of formative, clinical supervision models was evident among both groups. The study concludes that there is an urgent need to transform these hierarchical practices by introducing collaborative, reflective supervision models, such as clinical supervision integrated with individual professional development plans, to foster genuine teacher development and improve instructional quality.

Keywords: Teacher Supervision, Clinical Supervision, Teacher Evaluation, Professional Development, Federal Directorate of Education, Instructional Leadership