Towards academic excellence through performance appraisal

“Performance” and “productivity” have become among the buzzwords in discussions relating to vision 2020. The extent of its importance is evidenced by the use of the concept of “performance-related-pay” even in the public sector now, under the New Remuneration System (NRS). With this emphasis on performance, performance appraisal cannot remain an option or a matter of discretion; it becomes a necessity, both in terms of policy and procedure. This paper will examine and evaluate the performance appraisal system practised in ITM for the purposes of promotion and annual appraisal of lecturers. This paper will also suggest ways to increase the effectiveness of the performance appraisal system in ITM. This descriptive analysis and evaluation is based on : firstly, a review of documents, circulars and appraisal forms which are used in the performance appraisal system in ITM; secondly, an examination of the process of appraisal in ITM, based on participant observation and feedback from lecturers; and, thirdly, a comparison with basic principles and current trends in performance appraisal.