PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES OF SCHOOL LEADERS IN INVOLVING COMMUNITY TOWARDS MATERIAL RESOURCES MOBILIZATION IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF EAST SHOA ZONE.

Abstract

This study explored practice and challenges of school leaders in involving community towards material resource mobilization in secondary schools of east Shoa zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The study has illustrated how communities participate in their local schools and examined the successes and challenges in the implementation process. For this study, descriptive survey method was used; both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through questionnaire, interviews, documents and field observation. Of the total sample size,18 (100%), 9 (100), 6 (100% and 16 (88.8%) of the questionnaires were distributed to teachers in Parent Teachers Associations, Principal, supervisors and educational expertise process owner and educational office leaders respectively who filled out, returned and were used for analysis. The respondents were grouped into two groups. First teachers in managements (teachers in Parent Teachers Associations and departments heads), second Educational expertise (Educational expertise process owners, supervisors and principals).In addition to questionnaire, 9 (100%) Parent Teachers Associations chairman, 6 (100%) Weredas Education Board chairman and 9 (100%) storekeepers were interviewed. The collected data were analyzed using frequency, mean, average mean and chi-square test. The study found that community participation in material resource mobilization has improved access and equity in education. Despite these, encouraging outcomes the implementation of community participation in education is suffering from many challenges. The block-grant fund for schools was inadequate; Schools have no adequate infrastructures and facilities. This is because of lack of knowledge and understanding of duties and responsibilities, lack of skills due to non-training, lack of appreciation of overall objectives and lack of participatory leadership styles of principals were the most prevalent constraints that contribute for low level of participation. So, this is one of the problems intended to be fixed quickly, because it contributed to low quality education. The Parent Teachers Associations and Wereda education Board lack basic knowledge and experience for the position and were not successful performing their functions effectively. In addition, there is a gap between community and weak relationship between stakeholders. In line with the above findings and conclusions it was recommended that: to equip School leaders with necessary knowledge, attitude and skills the Region, Zone and Woreda Education Officials may arrange workshops, seminars, short and long term training in collaboration with different stakeholders and schools need to think of their own income generating sources on top of government budget through improving their relationship with local Non-governmental Organization’s and school communities by preparing project proposal and submit to international donors.