Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to assess instructional supervisory practices of teachers in public
secondary schools of Harari Region. To this end, descriptive research design was employed. A
total of 142 respondents were addressed as source of data. Stratified proportational sampling
technique was used to select 126 teachers and purposive sampling technique was used to select
8 department heads, 4 principals and 4 vice principals. Moreover, 4 secondary schools were
also selected through purposive sampling technique. Questionnaires, interviews, documents
and focus group discussion were the instruments applied to gather information from the
sampled population. The information gathered through questionnaires was analysed in
appropriate statistical tools such as frequency, percentage and mean value, and integrated with
information gathered through interview, documents and discussion. Based on the analysis, the
findings disclosed that teachers were not well oriented to the potential benefits supervision
could bring to themselves or to the teaching and learning process. It was also revealed that the
school supervisors were ineffective in providing the professional assistance for teachers
through conducting regular meetings with teachers to identify teaching learning problems and
then to find solutions to these deficiencies. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the
supervisors were not capable enough in assisting teachers to conduct action research, and
evaluating the existing teaching texts for further improvement. Finally, the findings of the study
especially the questionnaire and focus group discussion respondents discovered that
instructional supervision was negatively affected by many problems such as non-availability of
supervision manual at school; an insufficient allocation of budget and the unavailability of
experienced supervisors in schools. As a result, instructional supervision was less supportive
for teachers’ professional development. In light of these findings and conclusions the following
recommendations were forwarded. Regional Education Bureau and the Woreda Education
Offices should help secondary schools by providing supervision manuals and guidelines as
necessary reference tools in order to link the practice of instructional supervision with teachers
professional development. Appropriate and continuous training programs need to be organized
and given for instructional supervisors and teachers. The Regional Education Offices and the
schools themselves should allocate adequate budget for the success of instructional supervision.
Instructional supervisors should give emphasis to prior planning and discussing with the
supervisee and to create awareness on the purpose of classroom observation
