The Challenges in Building School Culture in Secondary Schools of Pastoralist Area in Borena Zone, Oromia Regional State

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to examine the challenges in building School culture and to identify existing dominant School culture, current practice of School values in building School culture and the major challenges that hinder school for building positive culture, factors that affecting school in building school culture and to point out the prevailing problems, and there by suggest possible remedial solutions to the problem encountered for the Improvement of Secondary Schools in Pastoral Area of Borena zone. Case study was employed to conduct the study. Participants of the study were 32 students council, 93 teachers and 5 principals were selected by available sampling techniques where as 5 PTA were selected by lottery sampling techniques. Using available sampling techniques to selected sampled schools, students’ council, teachers and principal where as lottery sampling techniques to be selected for PTA members. The data were collected by using Questionnaire, interview and document. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis method turns up at the results. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of data was obtained. The finding of the study revealed that secondary schools were dominated by negative/little- shop of horror culture. This indicates the school can be described as an unpredictable, tension-filled nightmare having the characteristics of a war zone or revolution and staff Fear of failures, Communication is not clear and consistently for everyone, only for some group that makes hostile relation among staff. The study depicts that most of these core values of the schools were not applicable in the Secondary schools. Especially, values of innovation and achievement orientation, effectiveness, commitment and motivation among the staff were not practiced well. This values in turn, results in school isolation of teachers, principals, students and other school stakeholders. The finding of the study revealed the major challenges of building school culture is that secondary school have reaching consensus on individual and group values problems, the problem of changing the beliefs and practices of teachers, absence of common school vision, shortage of resources, Absence of shared participation in socialization and ineffective academic orientation culture (professionalism). This is due to absences of collaboration, absences sharing vision, no creating and maintaining school culture. Therefore, it has been recommended that The schools should avoid the practices and assumptions of little shop of horrors/negative culture, school leaders provide a strong school identity, enhance collective commitment, provide a stable social system, and reduce the need for bureaucratic controls, committed to solving school problems, developing school structures to form teams and work together and school principals and parent teacher associations promoting collaborative efforts Finally, the researcher advises district education office and Borena zone education office to build awareness and prepare incentives for the model schools regarding improving and creating good school culture and further research is needed in the area to obtain comprehensive findings.