Abstract:
The aim of this study was to examine the school leaders’ endeavor for maintaining effective school and community partnership in secondary schools of Horo Guduru Wollega zone. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research design. The size of population was 854. Out of this total population, 16 principals, 194 teachers, 80 student council and 112 PTSA were included in the sample that were selected using stratified and random sampling techniques. For data collection, both closed and opened ended questionnaire, focus group discussion and document analysis were employed. Data was collected from both primary and secondary data sources. Descriptive statistical analysis techniques were employed to analyze the data. The quantitative data collected were analyzed by using percentage, weighted mean and standard deviation. The findings indicate that principals were not that much effective in formulating partnership plans. The weighted mean and standard deviation also computed in communicating and specifying the role of key players reveal average for principals and teachers responses. This shows that principals were not highly effective in this variable. The principals mainly use informing parents about the academic performance of children , report cards, parent –teacher conference, regular meetings, school newsletters and periodic reports as communication means. The documents analysis and focus group discussion also indicated the same result in all aspects of the variables as that of the questionnaire. The study concluded that principals were not effective in formulating partnership plans, and communicating and specifying the role of key players. Likewise, it may be concluded that principals did not use varied effective communication means to ensure school- community partnership. It is suggested that Zone and Woreda office should assess school system” parents, and community involvement training needs, appropriate technical assistance, resource and mentoring on partnership plan, school leader should have skills and capacity in formulating plan to influence to school to bring common and share values among the stakeholders and assert the involvements of school community members, school leader should built leadership and school structure, establish team approach structure to lead school-community partnership involving key players. school leader should involve the family-school community style by using varied methods such as media, meeting, formal and informal discussion and create conductive atmosphere and development to bring active participation of stakeholders. Moreover improve the effectiveness of school leader in all aspects and consider the key stakeholders
