Teacher Accountability and Student Learning Outcomes: Administrative Work, Teaching and Learning Processes, and Communication in Rural Lower Secondary Schools

Main Article Content

Syna Sauth
Socheath Mam

Abstract

This study explores teacher accountability toenhance student learning outcomes in Cambodianlower secondary schools. The findings show thatteacher accountability is enacted through three keydomains: administrative work, teaching and learningprocesses, and communication with stakeholders.Teachers demonstrated accountability throughstructured planning, instructional preparation, activeclassroom practices, and collaboration with schoolleaders, colleagues, students, and parents. Schoolswith stronger accountability practices showed moreconsistent and positive student learning outcomes.It employed the qualitative research methodology.The study included 77 respondents selected throughpurposive sampling, including 6 school managementteams, 12 teachers, 30 parents/guardians, and 29students. Based on the standard 2 in the school-based community, the study area focuses on schoolA in Takeo province, and schools B and C in KandalProvince. This study used document study, classroomobservation, semi-structured interviews, and FocusGroup Discussion (FGD). NVivo was used to codedata into themes, sub-themes, and activities. Theresearcher recommended that the school managementteam and teachers complete administrative tasksproperly and adopt new teaching and learning methodsto improve active teaching and learning. Additionally,the School Management Team (SMT), teachers,parents/guardians, and authorities cooperate toprovide financial and material resources to improvestudents’ achievement in lower secondary school.

Article Details

Section

Articles

References

Bedard, K. (2015). Autonomy and accountability in teaching: Finding a balance for effective education. Educational Review, 67(4), 456–470.

Bennett, R. E. (2011). Formative assessment: A critical review. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 18(1), 5–25.

Benveniste, L., Marshall, J., & Araujo, M. C. (2008). Teaching in Cambodia. Human Development Sector, East Asia and the Pacific Region, World Bank.

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.

Bray, M., Zhang, W., Kobakhidze, M. N., & Liu, J. (2016). Researching private supplementary tutoring in Cambodia: Contexts, instruments and approaches. In Researching Private Supplementary Tutoring: Methodological Lessons from Diverse Cultures (pp. 219–244). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Bredenberg, K. (2002). Cluster school development in Cambodia: Analysis of process and outcomes. Phnom Penh: UNICEF/Sida.

Brehm, M., Imberman, S. A., & Lovenheim, M. F. (2017). Achievement effects of individual performance incentives in a teacher merit pay tournament. Labour Economics, 44, 133–150.

Chea, P., Bo, C., & Ryuto, M. (2022). Cambodian Secondary School Teachers’ Readiness for Online Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Phnom Penh: CDRI, Cambodia Development Resource Institute.

Chet, C., Sok, S., Chen, T. O., Sou, V., & Chey, C. O. (2023). Pupil participation in the comprehensive school safety framework at primary schools in Stung Streng province, Cambodia. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 96, 103932.

Chitpin, S. (2016). Popper’s Approach to Education: A Cornerstone of Teaching and Learning. Routledge.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2020). Accountability in teacher education. Action in Teacher Education, 42(1), 60–71. https://doi.org/10.1080/01626620.2019.1704464

Dee, T. S., & Jacob, B. (2010). The impact of No Child Left Behind on students, teachers, and schools. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-impact-of-no-child-left-behind/

Dy, S. S. (2017). A roadmap for teacher policy development in Cambodia: Learning from international experience and application and good practice. Cambodia Education Review, 1(1), 69–94.

Education International. (2015, June 10). Cambodia: Survey finds low pay, corruption, and lack of training challenge teachers [Press release]. https://www.ei-ie.org/en/item/18110:cambodia-survey-finds-low-pay-corruption-and-lack-of-training-challenge-teachers

Figlio, D. (2011). School accountability. In Handbook of the Economics of Education (Vol. 3, pp. 101–145). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53401-2.00003-5

Heng, K., & Sol, K. (2023). Cambodia’s education system: New developments and persistent challenges. Innovations and Challenges in Cambodian Education: Youth’s Perspectives, 1–19.

Hutt, E. L., Meyer, H.-D., Tröhler, D., & Labaree, D. (2014). Accountability: Antecedents, power, and processes. Teachers College Record, 116(7), 1–60. https://www.tcrecord.org

Jewell, J. W. (2015). From inspection, supervision, and observation to value-added evaluation: A brief history of U.S. teacher performance evaluations. Journal of Education Policy, 30(1), 10–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/02680939.2014.915002

Killion, J. (2016). Professional learning for teachers: Improving instruction through accountability. Journal of Educational Leadership, 30(2), 123–135.

Kraft, M. A., Brunner, E. J., Dougherty, S. M., & Schwegman, D. J. (2018). Teacher accountability reforms and the supply of new teachers. NBER Working Paper No. 24403. National Bureau of Economic Research.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS). (2019). Education Strategic Plan 2019–2023. Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS). (2021). School Community Strategy. Phnom Penh: MoEYS.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS). (2022). Public Education Statistics & Indicators 2021–2022. Phnom Penh: MoEYS.

Öztüzcü Küçükbere, F. (2021). Teacher accountability and occupational professionalism. International Journal of Progressive Education, 17(6), 38–58. https://doi.org/10.29329/ijpe.2021.382.3

Patrinos, H. A., Velez, E., & Wang, C. Y. (2017). A framework for education systems reform and planning for quality. Journal of Educational Planning and Administration, 31(2), 93–113.

Ross, E., & Walsh, K. (2019). Teacher accountability reforms and performance measures: Implications for education systems. Harvard Scholar, 15(3), 45–60.

Sanders, W. L., & Horn, S. P. (1998). Classroom level effects on student achievement: A study of the Tennessee Value-Added Assessment System. Journal of Research in Education, 8(1), 25–39.

Symeonidis, V. (2015). The status of teachers and the teaching profession: A study of education unions’ perspectives. Education International.

Tan, C., & Ng, P. T. (2012). A critical reflection of teacher professionalism in Cambodia. Asian Education and Development Studies, 1(2), 124–138.

Tandon, P., & Fukao, T. (2015). Educating the next generation: Improving teacher quality in Cambodia. World Bank Publications.

UNESCO. (2017). Accountability in education: Meeting our commitments. Global Education Monitoring Report. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000259873

Vannak, D. (2019). I pursue higher education for reasons: Exploring the demand for higher education in Cambodia. Online Submission, 4(2), 314–324.

Vannak, R. (2019). Challenges in teacher accountability in Cambodia: A critical analysis. Asian Education Review, 8(2), 99–115.

World Bank. (2017). Cambodia – Secondary Education Improvement Project (P157858). Washington, DC: World Bank.

World Bank. (2023). Reforms improve education quality benefitting half a million students in Cambodia. Washington, DC: World Bank.