Supervision of Instruction and Teacher Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Delta State

This study investigates the relationship between supervisory practices and teacher performance in public secondary schools in Delta State, South South Nigeria. Effective instructional supervision is recognised as a critical school improvement mechanism, yet its practice in Nigerian secondary schools is frequently characterised by inspector visits that are evaluative rather than developmental in orientation. The study employs a descriptive survey design, targeting 280 classroom teachers and school principals from schools in Asaba, Ughelli North, and Warri South local government areas. Data were gathered using a supervisory practices questionnaire and a validated teacher performance assessment scale. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were applied. The study is anchored in the Clinical Supervision Model and the Developmental Supervision Theory of Glickman. It assesses the dimensions of pre-observation conferencing, classroom observation quality, post-observation feedback, and follow-up support in relation to teacher planning, delivery, and professional growth. Findings are expected to reveal that collaborative, formative supervision significantly predicts improved teacher performance, while inspectorial and fault-finding approaches are negatively associated with teacher motivation. The study also examines differences in supervision quality between mission and government schools. Recommendations address the Delta State Teaching Service Commission and Secondary Education Management Board on restructuring supervision from an inspectorial to a professional growth model, with implications for teacher education on reflective practice. Keywords: instructional supervision, teacher performance, secondary schools, Delta State, professional growth