PRINCIPALS ROLES IN PARTICIPATIVE DECISION-MAKING PRACTICE IN SELECTED SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF GOROGUTU WOREDA, EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA REGION

Abstract

The extent to which school leaders experience a team work and participate in the practice of school decision-making process has been viewed as a means of satisfying both organizational objectives and their needs. The purpose of this study was to investigate the practice of participatory decision-making in selected secondary schools of GoroGutuWoreda,East Hararghe Zone,OromiaRegion,and to come up with remedial solutions to improve staff involvement, to assess the secondary schools principals’ practice in decision-making and implementation and to resolve problems in teaching learning process.The methods employed in the study were a Descriptive survey research design was used with mixed research. Questionnaire, Interview,FGD, and Review of documents to collect data from 4 principals, 8 vice-principals, 120 teaching staff, 27 non-teaching staff, 8 student- council and 4 PTA heads from GoroGutu secondary schools in East Hararghe Zone,Oromia Region. The data were analyzed by using percentage, frequency, mean scores and ANOVA. The findings of the study revealed the practice of participative decision making assessment had been insufficient. The GoroGutu Woreda school community, teaching and non-teaching staff, students and PTA were relatively less involved in decision making. The practices of school principals in promoting participatory decision-making approach and coordinating the tasks of schools were unsatisfactory.Besides,the practices of decisions in various school activities, in implementation and evaluation of school decisions, encouraging staff and mobilizing community were low. Based on the findings, some of the recommendations were suggested. Principals should not only support the instructional activities, but should also create conducive environment to involve the stakeholders to ensure effective and efficient decision-making plat form in schools and also to develop appreciation for team work and participation. At the end, to overcome problems that hinder decision-making activities, the schools management should give much attention for participative decision-making-process