Implementation and Perceptions of Performance Appraisal in Primary Teacher Colleges in Uganda

Performance appraisal is intended to clarify expectations, provide feedback and support professional development. This study examined its implementation and perceptions in five Primary Teacher Colleges in central Uganda using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. The sample comprised 120 tutors selected through simple random sampling and 15 purposively selected administrators, including five principals and ten deputy principals. Questionnaire summaries were compared with inductively analysed interviews and documentary evidence. On a five-point scale ranging from strongly agree (1) to strongly disagree (5), the supplied item means ranged from 1.56 for awareness to 1.97 for documentation. Interview extracts described managerial treatment of appraisal as a formality and concerns about recognition, alongside an account reporting no encountered fairness concerns. The contribution is a contextual account of the distinction between appraisal’s formal presence and its perceived developmental meaning. The study recommends purposeful appraisal discussions, evidence-based review and transparent recognition and development arrangements.