School Leaders’ Effectiveness In Implementing School Improving Programs In Secondary Schools Of Dendi Woreda, West Shoa Zone

Abstract

This study was conducted on school leaders’ effectiveness in implementing School Improving Programs Secondary Schools of Dendi Woreda, West Shoa Zone. The objective of this study was to investigate school leaders’ effectiveness in implementing SIP in selected secondary schools of Dendi Woreda, West Shoa Zone. In this study, a descriptive design was used and with both quantitative and qualitative research method. The populations of the study were teachers, PTA, principals, and supervisors. Accordingly, the study populations were teachers (119), principals and vice-principals (12), Parent Teacher Association (TPA=12), and supervisors (2). Of the teachers, the sample size was calculated using the Yemane Taro formula (1967) which was about 92. However, from these only 84 were used for data analysis and the sample were selected using simple random sampling. The instruments of data collection were questionnaires, interviews, and FGD. The data were analyzed using, mean, standard deviation, and one-sample t-test. The findings of the study indicated the low performance of secondary school leaders in implementing school improvement program domains such as school leadership and community participation. They also had low performance in the preparation stage of SIP. As the finding of the study revealed the domains, secondary school leaders of Dendi Woreda did at an average level were ‘teaching and learning’ and ‘safe and healthy school environment’. Regarding challenges, inadequate financial resources, inadequate manpower in the schools, insufficient and inconsistent communication among leaders and the staff, low level of commitment of school leaders, low support from parents and community, lack of technical skills in school improvement program preparation, scarcity of frameworks and guidelines of SIP in schools were some of the challenges of secondary school leaders in implementing SIP. In general, as the finding of the study revealed secondary school leaders of Dendi Woreda were not effective in implementing some domains of the school improvement program. Therefore, it is recommended that Woreda education Offices in collaboration with Zone Education Offices should give sustainable technical assistance including training for school leaders. Woreda education offices in collaboration with school leaders need to enhance community participation