Challenges and opportunities of School Leadership In Implementing School Improvement Program in Secondary Schools of West Arsi Zone Oromia Rigion
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Date
2011-04
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Addis Ababa Universty
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify and assesse the challenges and
opportunities of educational leadership in implementing school improvement
program in secondary schools of West Arsi Zone, Oromia. In order to attain the
objective of the study, descriptive survey method was applied. The study was
carried out in six secondary and two preparatory schools in five woredas which
were selected by simple random sampling. The respondents were also selected
by using simple random sampling techniques. The study involved 195 teachers,
40 department heads, 8 principals, 18 vice principals, 40 School Improvement
Committee, 5 Woreda Education Office heads and 5 supervisors. Questionnaires,
interviews, focus group discussions, and document reviews were applied as
instruments to collect information. The data gathered through questionnaires were
analyzed quantitatively by statistical tools such as percentage, frequency count,
mean scores, Kuruskal-Wallis test using SPSS (mean rank chi-square, degree of
freedom, and P-value). Interviews, focus group discussion, and document reviews
were analyzed qualitatively using the content analysis technique. Based on the
analysis, the findings show that resource constraints were one of the major
challenges in implementing school improvement program in secondary schools.
Besides, capacity of principals, tradition and norms, socio-economic condition, the
resistance to change were found to be among the serious challenges of the
schools. The study also indicated that there were a good possibilities of extemal
environment to implement School Improvement Program. But the current practice
of school leaders were only moderately p erformed. Regarding the domain of
School Improvement Program, school leaders' awareness was high on leaming
and teaching practice, on strategic vision, in evaluating student's achievement.
Even though, there was lack of implementation due to training on the area of
educational leadership courses. The recommendation given was that the regional
education bureau, zonal and woreda education office should work with donor
organization and community at large to bring more financial resources, to build
the capacity of principals leadership on the basis of their needs analysis.
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Keywords
Leadership