PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP IN IMPROVING TEACHING-LEARNING PROCESS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF OROMIA SPECIAL ZONE SURROUNDING FINFINNE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the practices and challenges of school leadership in improving teaching-learning process in the secondary schools of Oromia special Zone surrounding Finfinne. The study employed a descriptive survey research design using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire from teachers and school leadership by using stratified and availability random sampling techniques respectively. The qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interview and document analyses. Seven secondary schools in the selected woredas were included in the study by using availability sampling method. The quantitative data collected were analyzed by using percentages, means and an independent sample t-test to see if there is statistically significant mean difference between the opinions of respondents in rating the items. SPSS version 20 was employed to analyze quantitative data while the qualitative data obtained from open ended questions, interviews and document analyses were analyzed using narration and description to supplement the quantitative data. The findings of the study revealed that majority of school leadership become school leaders without having the necessary training in relation to school leadership. The major reasons for the poor practices of school leadership in improving teaching-learning process identified were: lack of adequate knowledge regarding to school leadership, lack of professional training in line with school leadership and lack of support from educational bureau at different levels. The major challenges of school leadership practices in improving teaching-learning process identified in the findings; lack of school leadership cooperation with stakeholders, lack of timely allocation of resources, lack of planning skills in line with the school needs and lack of organizing school community in order to improve teaching-learning process. From the result of the findings, it is possible to conclude that, the practices of school leadership lacked self-confidence, consistency and decision making in improving teaching-learning process. Based on the finding, it was recommended that educational leadership at different levels like woreda, zonal and regional level should provide technical support, prepare short and long term training and facilitate experience sharing in order to strengthen the practices of school leadership and minimize challenges that hinders their practices in improving teaching-learning process. As the findings showed that, lack of resource hinders the practices of school leadership in improving teaching-learning process. To solve such problem the researcher recommended that secondary school leadership should create and operate strategies like community mobilizing and preparing project proposal by communicating with local NGO’s.