Educational Practices in Multicultural Community (The Case of Bati-Town Woreda)
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The study focused on examining the multicultural educational practices in
multicultural community in Bati Town Woreda(Oromia Zone). It employed
qualitative case study method Semi-structured interview together with
audio recording observation and document analysis of some relevant
materials were used as data gathering tools. Key informants of Bati
Town woreda community, the Oromo Zone and Bati Town woreda
education office officials, practitioners, cluster supervisors, principals'
teachers and selected students were made to participate in the study.
The study revealed an encouraging community involvement in educational
practice by considering education as a common concern of all community
members. However, there is no continues effort from the concerned
bodies to treat diversity issues to address the educational needs of all
groups and sub-groups because of practitioners, lack of knowledge and
skill in their pre service and in service training they are in a problem to
understand and treat diversity issues in a setting where culturally different
community members living together. The formal curriculum in schools
both Oromo and Amhara are found to be not sufficiently addressing
religious, ethnic and exceptionality issues except gender diversity.
Attention in such area is very much necessary. It has also disclosed
observable gap between the regional standard curriculum under practice
and the need of the Woreda. Improvement in such area is also important
to adapt the regional standard curriculum based on the geographical
setting, historical and cultural hentages and social values of the
community under practice. Though there are highly encouraging
achievements from the multicultural educational practice such as using
mother tongue as a medium of instruction, expansion of schools to
address education to every community members, girls participation in
learning and improved students academic achievement. There are also
untouched challenges that affect educational practices such as absence of
instructional materials to teach Amharic as a second language for grade
three and four, shortage of in service training to practitioners, absence of
well skilled man power, inability to adapt the Regional standard curriculum
to the needs of the Woreda, lack of awareness about multicultural
education, shortage of instructional materials and lack of financial
resources in order to run educational activities.
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Keywords
Educational Practices