Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to assess the practices and challenges of school leaders in implementing school based teachers‟ continuous professional development in government secondary schools of Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Oromia Regional State. To this effect, descriptive survey research design that involved the use of both quantitative and qualitative approaches in data gathering and analysis was employed. Data were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources were 129 teachers, 77 CPD coordinators (18 school leaders52 department heads and school CPD coordinators, 7 supervisors) and 7woredas/Twon CPD Coordinators. Stratified sampling technique was employed to proportionally select teachers from 7 secondary schools, while available sampling technique was employed to select CPD coordinators and woredas/Town CPD Coordinators. To collect primary data, questionnaire with closed and open-ended questions and interviews were employed. Interviews and document analysis were conducted to triangulate the information obtained through questionnaire. The quantitative data were first edited, organized, tabulated, and then analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean and t-test by using SPSS(V.20) while qualitative data from interview were thematized and narrated to support the quantitative analysis and triangulated data. The findings indicated that CPD program was not implemented successfully due to the lack of commitment of school leaders‟ lack of continuous training for teachers and school leaders, and lack of incentives and career structure. Additionally, not allocating sufficient resources and budget for CPD training, absence of organizing experience sharing, absence of certification after completion of CPD lack of stakeholders‟ support and follow up activities also were identified by this research. Hence, it was concluded that CPD is not properly implemented as stipulated in the policy document and thus, it seems that continuous professional development program could not contribute to teachers‟ professional development. On the basis of these major findings, the following recommendations were made. To implement teachers‟ continuous professional development program effectively, school leaders should follow up the teachers‟ continuous professional development performance; prepare conducive environment for training;effect certification and career level for teachers, organize experience sharing and allocate sufficient resources to effectively achieve the intended goals of the teachers‟ continuous professional development program. It was also recommended that, woreda education offices should work in collaboration with zone and regional Education Bureau, community and other concerned bodies to solve identified problems.
