School Improvement Program Implementation in Primary Schools in Dire Inchini Woreda of West Shoa Zone

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to School Improvement Program Implementation in Primary Schools in Dire Inchini Woreda of West Shoa Zone. Mixed research method and descriptive survey research design was employed to conduct the study. Two government primary schools namely Waldo and Nano primary schools were the target of the study. One hundred sixteen (116) teachers, six (6) school leaders (principals and vice principals), one woreda education office SIP coordinator, one supervisor, 16 school PTAs were involved as primary sources. Questionnaire, interviews, focused group discussions and observations were data collecting instruments. Data obtained through questionnaires were analyzed using statistical tools like mean, average mean, and standard deviation while data gathered through interviews, focused group discussions and observations were used to complement the questionnaire data. The finding of the study revealed that principals lack support for supervision of the education office and lack of a responsible body to implement SIP. Primary schools faced challenges of the lack of available playground. Gaps were also identified in the areas of paving ways for formative assessment timely, planned and goal-oriented evaluation of SIP activities, initiating parents’ active participation for students’ academic achievement, lack of commitment, large school and class size, large students and teachers. Woreda education office needs facilitating experience sharing and organizing short term training based on benchmark of the four SIP domains during self-assessment, standardized playground for schools, facilitating conditions for formative assessment planned and goal-oriented teaching learning evaluation, parent’s active participation, increasing principal’s commitment and bringing school size to the standard and improving their school improvement Programme. In the areas of SIP activities, the resistance of the school community, lack of principals and teachers’ commitment and lack of stakeholders’ participation were observed as challenges. But poor technical support from woreda education offices, Searching external funds, was not as challenging for Waldo primary school principal. On the other hand, searching external funds, lack of inputs and poor technical support from woreda educational offices were challenges to primary schools principals to implement SIP.