Headteachers’ and teachers’ perspectives on the work of school improvement support officers in selected basic schools in Ghana

School districts in Ghana are subdivided into circuits for supervision. School improvement support officers supervise schools within a circuit, hence, their old name, circuit supervision. The study aimed to investigate headteachers’ and teachers’ perspectives on the work of school improvement support officers in the schools. This descriptive survey involved 57 headteachers and 195 teachers randomly sampled from 15 circuits within two (2) school districts (one urban and one rural) in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. The study shows that the work of school improvement support officers is beneficial but not effective enough to improve schools. This is due to lapses in their activities and logistical challenges. The school improvement support officers visit schools to perform numerous roles. However, teachers and headteachers have concerns about how the school improvement support officers perform their duties. For the work of school improvement support officers to be effective and bring about improvements in schools, they must receive adequate training and have their operational challenges addressed.