The role of school management teams in monitoring and evaluating teachers’ self-regulated learning implementation in primary school in the Lejweleputswa District, South Africa

Abstract

This study investigates the role of school management teams in monitoring and evaluating teachers’ implementation of self-regulated learning in South African primary schools. Self-regulated learning is increasingly recognised as a critical factor for learner autonomy, motivation, and academic achievement. However, limited attention has been given to school management teams’ role in supporting and quality-assuring its classroom implementation. Using a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen school management team members who were purposefully sampled across five primary schools. Thematic analysis revealed that school management team members’ value self-regulated learning. However, monitoring practices are often inconsistent, compliance-focused, and constrained by limited self-regulated learning knowledge, time pressures, and administrative demands. Collaborative classroom observations and reflective discussions emerged as practices that enhance self-regulated learning integration. The study concludes that strengthening school management teams’ capacity, formalising self-regulated learning evaluation frameworks, and providing systematic feedback mechanisms are crucial for improving self-regulated learning implementation. The findings contribute to educational leadership literature by identifying organisational conditions and capacity-building priorities necessary for effective self-regulated learning oversight.