TEACHER-PRINCIPAL CONFLICT AND PERCEIVED INFLUENCE ON STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF NORTH SHOA ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

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.