COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN MANAGING SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

This study tried to examine Community Participation in Managing Secondary Schools of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State. The research design employed in the study was descriptive survey. Questionnaire, interview and document analysis were used to collect data from 71 teachers, 6 principals, 6 supervisors, 33 PTA heads, 35 KETB. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively by using descriptive and inferential statistics, and the data gathered through interview and documents were analyzed qualitatively through narration. Similarly, t-test was used to check whether there was a significant difference between the groups of respondents. The findings of the study indicated that there was low community participation in the secondary schools of the study areas. The study also identified major challenges that hinder community participation in the schools under study as well as possible solutions to those challenges. The major conclusions reached by the study include: failure of the principals in getting the committees in planning, implementing and monitoring and evaluating of the overall activities of the schools; their failure to manage the community participation properly; failure of principals and woreda education offices to build the capacity of KETB and PTA through training as well as to motivate, empower and encourage them in running their roles. Besides, failures of the school leaders and the district education officers to create suitable conditions, to establish effective and efficient communication systems and to take the feed-backs of the KETB and PTA members and to reach on immediate decisions were presented. Major recommendations includes that zone administrative department and woreda education offices should build the capacity of principals and supervisors; woreda education offices, supervisors and principals should build the capacity of the KETB and PTA through regular trainings and empower and encourage them on participating in overall activities of the schools as well as allow them to monitor and evaluate the performance of the schools. Generally, the researcher recommended that the education managements of different levels should strive to create suitable conditions for KETB and PTA members of their schools to promote active participation of the local community in secondary schools of the study areas.