Asgedom, Amare (PhD)Entewow, Animaw2022-03-172023-11-052022-03-172023-11-052000-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/30659As a nucleus for improvisation and innovation Pedagogical Centers create the preconditions fo r the effective implementation of the curriculum and the continuos improvement of the teaching - learning process. The study was, therefore, designed to assess the effect of Pedagogical Centers on the First Cycle Primary Schools in implementing the new curriculum. The study was conducted in 24 schools as sources of information from the four Zones of the Amhara Region. Within these schools, all teachers of the self -contained class whi ch were J 54 in number , 24 school principals,24 School Pedagogical Centers' coordinators and 32 Woreda education experts were taken as actual sources of information. The information were collected through questionnaire, interview, observation and document analysis. The data obtained were analyzed mainly using percentage and in some parts, especially for intelview resu lts, a purely qu alitative discussion was employed. The result s of the study indicate that the School Pedagogical Centers have inadequate instructional materials relevant to the new curriculum. Teachers, coordinators of the School Pedagogical Centers seem to have no adequate orientation or training regarding preparation and utilization of instructional material s. In this connection, low participation of teachers in regarding and utilizing instructional materials in their teaching activity has been found. It was also revealed that the support provided to the Pedagogical Centers from the school and higher management was low. No support was provided to the Centers from the community. The interview results had ind icated that there was no technica l, materiaV fin ancial assistance given to the Pedagogical Centers from the Central level in the system. What is important to mentionis that lack of trained manpower, lack of adequate resources, lack of in-service training of teachers and Pedagogical Centers' coordinators and absence of support and clear guidelines from the top management were the major serious problems affecting the function of Pedagogical Centers. In light of these findings, it is necessary to gIve due attention and make great effort to strengthen the School Pedagogical Centers with financia l, materials and trained manpower In addition, there seems to be a need for providing training to teachers and coordinators of pedagogical Centers on preparing and utilizing of instructional materials as well as on the other functions of the Pedagogical Centers. That is, continuous and periodical school- based tral1l1ng is necessary. Besides, higher educational institutions need to be encouraged to arrange training programs in order to train specialists who could have expertise 11l coordinating the activities of Pedagogical Centers.amEffect of Pedagogical Centers on First CycleThesis