| Summary: | This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in improving the performance of educators. While literature exists on IQMS as a performance management system for educators in South Africa, no research examines it as a Performance Improvement (PI) system. Given the gap in the literature, this study aimed to answer the question: How effective is the IQMS in improving the performance of educators? The IQMS policy mandates the District Office to design and implement Performance Improvement interventions. This study investigated the effectiveness of the IQMS as a PI system with specific reference to the interventions designed and implemented by the East London District of Education. The introduction of the IQMS marked a paradigm shift from the inspectorate system. It introduced a democratic system of teacher evaluation. It put consultative structures in place and allowed educators to make their voices heard during the evaluation process through pre-evaluation meetings and feedback. The IQMS is a standards based system of evaluation. As such it is morphed with the use of rating scores and rubrics to identify the performance gap, which is followed by the development and implementation of intervention strategies to close the gap. The concept of Performance Improvement (PI) which is the process of identifying and analyzing individual performance gaps, planning for future performance improvement, designing and implementing interventions to close performance gaps, comes into play. This study was conducted using qualitative research methods. Data from questionnaires and the interviews were triangulated with information from a review of policy documents from the Department of Basic Education, pertinent documents from the East London District of Education and sampled high schools in Mdantsane. The Post Level 1 Educators are primary stakeholders in this study, and the School Principals and Education Specialists are secondary stakeholders. In this qualitative study, forty-two high school Post Level 1 (PL1) educators provided responses to an open-ended questionnaire. Six PL1 educators were interviewed. Three high school principals and three education specialists provided responses to open-ended questionnaires. Pertinent documents were surveyed. Qualitative responses were categorized and analyzed into themes and sub-themes. The findings of the current study indicate that the IQMS in its current form did not impact positively on the Performance Improvement of educators. Five specific findings emerged from this study: Educators have not embraced IQMS as a Performance Improvement system; The twofold purpose of the IQMS: development and salary progression renders it ineffective in improving the performance of educators; The logical framework for the implementation of the IQMS is not adhered to; The implementation of the IQMS is not monitored; The IQMS has no impact on learner attainment. This study also documents other positive areas in the implementation of the IQMS. This study has implications and recommendations for further research, practice and provides valuable information to the Department of Basic Education and the teacher unions in the Education Labour Relations Council as they review the IQMS and in implementing future teacher performance evaluation policies.
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