Most inspection documents do not provide a detailed description of what capacity
building entails. Geijsel et al. (2009) however describe capacity building as the
capacity of schools to enhance the professional learning of teachers and to transform
large-scale reform into accountable student-oriented teaching practices. A school is
thought to be capable of change if it is competent to implement innovations initiated
either by the government (or the Inspectorate of Education) or by the school itself (as
a result of the outcomes of self-evaluation), and if necessary, to match both types of
innovations. In this context, Geijsel et al. (1999) stress the importance of the school as
a learning organization which consciously attempts to expand its learning capacity to
optimize its effectiveness (Geijsel et al. 2009). Participation of teachers in decision
making, cooperation between teachers and transformational leadership are considered
to be important conditions of learning organizations. In summary, the Inspectorates of
Education in our study expect to promote capacity building, improvement of school
conditions and the ultimate outcome of good education through three interlinked
causal mechanisms, namely setting standards and expectations, providing feedback
and informing stakeholders.