The Current Status of Community Participation In the Management of Government Secondary Schools In Bench Maji Zone, SNNPRs
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to assess the current status of community participation in the
management of government secondary schools and thereby to identify the strengths and weaknesses; then
to provide alternative solutions to the identified problem.s .. The research methodology employed in this
study was descriptive survey me/hod because, it was appropriate in describing what was going on and to
gather a large variety of data. Primary as well as secondary sources of data were used The primary
sources of data were teachers, members of PTA and KETB, education experts and minutes of meeting.
Secondary sources of data such a ' plans and reports were also consulted Accordingly, questionnaires,
interview andfocus group discussions were prepared and utihzedfor data collection. The questionnaires
were pilot tested The improved questionnaires were admini ·tered to a sample of 173 subjects composed
of 49 teachers, 21 PTA members, 24 KETB members and 79 experts in the zone and woredas. A total of
166(95.95 percent) of the questionnaires were properly filled in and returned. The data gathered were
analyzed using statistical techniques such as percentages and chi-square tests and then the findings were
recorded The following were the major findings: there were some mechanisms practiced for the
community to participate actively. However with the. exception of contributing money, material and labor,
which were found to be average, the participation oFthe community in planning, decision making,
managing discipline and monitoring and evaluation was very low. Decisions were made by school
principals and teachers who were members of some kind of committee in the schools. It was found that
principals and teachers undermine the contribution and capacity of KETB and PTA members. The major
factors that hinder KETB and PTA members were found to be lack o/commitment, lack of skill or training
to run the education system, inappropriate time and place
0/ meeting, lack of time, poor living standard,
lack of confidence and perceiving that school principals and teachers were more knowledgeable, pre
determined agendas and decisions made by principals and the belief that education is the responsibility of
school prinCipals and teachers. Hence from the result of this study, it is possible to conclude that the
current status of community participation in managing government secondGlY schools was not at a
desired level and it was found to be low in most cases. Due to this low status of participation, the
achievements made were not encouraging in most ·areas. of the management, and no significant efforts
were exerted to strengthen the capacity of KETB and PTA member
in promoting community
participation. Therefore to alleviate the above problems recommendations were 'uggested The suggested
recommendations included allowing the community
participate in school management; providing
adequate training to members of KETB and PTA, principals and teachers; creating a conducive
environment and arranging time and place of meeting on common agreement.
Description
Keywords
The Current Status of Community, Participation In theManagement