Effective Teachers' Cluster System as an Approach to Enhanced Classroom Practices in South African High Schools

The in-service professional development of teachers plays a prominent role in determining quality education in developing African countries. This study evaluated the use of the cluster system as one of the in-service professional development approaches for teachers in South African high schools. The theory of andragogy was used as a theoretical framework to underpin the study. Questionnaires were administered to 40 teachers; 3 heads of departments were engaged in semi-structured individual interviews while 5 teachers participated in a focus group interview. Findings revealed that the cluster system existed among the subject teachers and the system enhanced the teachers' classroom practices through the assistance of experienced contemporaries. The study also revealed that contents of these meetings could be results analysis which seemed irrelevant and time-consuming. There was also no proper monitoring or followup on the teachers' activities. The study, therefore, recommends that the cluster system should be structured to meet the classroom needs of teachers and proper follow-up mechanisms should be employed.