An Assessment of the Practices and Problems of the Management of Cluster Resource Centers in Primary Schools of East Wollega Zone
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Date
2009-03-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
School Cluster Model has been one of the strategies that are being implemented in
Ethiopian education system to address the problems of educational quality and efficiency.
In practice, however, the management of the school cluster resource centers has been
highly challenged by a number of problems. Thus, the main purpose of the study was to
assess the practices and problems of the management of primary schools cluster resource
centers in East Wollega Zone.
Based on this purpose, a review of related literature was made. Descriptive survey
method was usedfor the study. Samples were taken from ZEO experts, WEOs experts and
officials, CRC committee members, and teachers from both satellite schools and CRCs to
be used as data sources. Questionnaire and an interview guide were employed for data
collection. In order to select representative samples from the populations, availability
and random sampling techniques were followed. Percentage and chi-square test were
used as statistical tools for data analysis and interpretation.
The findings of the study revealed that despite some improvements in the cases of
students participation rate/enrollment, better framework for teachers ' inspection, pupil
competitions and teachers ' and schools ' experience-sharing, the important purposes and
strategies of the implementation of the cluster model were not well practiced in the CRCs
and lacked comprehensiveness in terms of coverage of essential administrative,
pedagogic, economic and political aspects. The important managerial functions did not
involve the major actors such as teachers and the community. One of the principles of
good governance- the clear definition of roles, responsibilities, authority and
accountability of different parts of the CRC system was not well practiced.. On top of
this, the finding showed that the major difficulties that hindered the effectiveness of the
CRC management system were found to be insufficiency of awareness, lack of financial
and material budget, shortage of skilled manpower (lack of proper staffing), lack of
facilities, and lack of community financial, material and labor support. The findings of
the study imply that the current situation of the CRC management really calls for special
attention if the systems are to be efficient and effective in bringing about the desired
change.
Finally, measures that should be taken by DEB, EWZEO, WEDs and the CRC systems
were suggested. The major ones were the need to build adequate awareness among the
major CRC stakeholders about the purposes, basic requirements and implementing
strategies of the cluster model, establish clear vision, mission and strategies for the
implementation of the model, staff the CRCs properly, clearly define the roles,
responsibilities, authorities and accountabilities of each portion/actor of the systems,
generate one's own income, build consensus among the CRC actors with regard to the
acceptable standards of performance and basic requirements in terms of financial,
material and skilled manpower needs, arrange workshops and trainings for each segment
of the cluster systems to enhance their managerial and implementing capacities were
suggested.
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Keywords
Management of Cluster in Primary Schools