Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to explore teacher-principal conflict and perceived influence
on students’ academic performance in Secondary Schools of North Shoa Zon. In
undertaking the study, descriptive survey research design was employed. The study was
carried out on 142 teachers, 22 principals, 80 department heads, 8 supervisors, 8 PTA
chairperson and 8 students’ council chairpersons of eight secondary schools. This was
done through stratified random sampling and available sampling techniques.
Questionnaire, interview and document review were employed for data collection. The
results of the data analysis were presented using frequency, percentage, mean, and one
way ANOVA. The study disclosed that lack of constructive communication, unfair
distribution of school activity, teacher lack of professional commitment, shortage of
teaching-learning materials, teacher resistance in using new program and lack of
participative decision making, on students’ academic performance were the major
contributed of conflict teacher-principal. Moreover, the study showed that teacherprincipal
conflict in secondary school negatively perceived influenced students’ academic
performance. In addition, the mechanisms that were most of the time used to control and
minimize conflicts were avoiding, accommodating, and competing. The conclusion of the
study showed that conflicts results lack of healthy communication and discussion between
teacher-principal that de tolerate students learning which influences their academic
performance. The influences of conflict were result in lack of collaboration between
teachers and principals. In general ways by which schools were handling teacherprincipal
conflict was inappropriate. Recommendations of the study were; supervisors
have to provide training for school principal and teacher. Woreda education offices have
to provide training for teacher and principal to aware influences of teacher-principal
conflict. Similarly teacher and principal have to use cooperative, collaborative and
consultative conflict management strategies in managing conflicts. Therefore, it was also
suggested that principal and teacher, North Shoa educational office and Oromia
education bureau have to be more practical in reducing teacher principal conflicts in the
study area to bring improvements in students’ academic achievements.
