LEADERSHIP PRACTICES OF PRINCIPALS IN CREATING EFFECTIVE SCHOOL-HOME-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the practice of principal’s in maintaining effective school-home and community partnership in secondary schools of East Hararghe zone. For this study descriptive survey research design was employed. The size of population was 929. Out of that is, 21 principals, 613 teachers, 147 student council and 168 PTSA and KETB were included in the sample and they were selected using stratified random sampling and random sampling techniques. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis techniques were employed to compute the data. 124 out of 142 questionnaires were properly filled in and analyzed. This indicates that principals were not that much effective in formulating partnership plans. The weighted mean computed in communicating and specifying the role of key players reveals 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 and periodic reports as communication means. It was found out from the quantitative and qualitative data that principals under discussion were not effective in preparing partnership plans. Then, actively engage parents and the community- member partnership is one of the domains. The study concluded that principals were not effective in formulating partnership plans, 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-home and community partnership. Thus, provision of training on the area of listed variables, such as: improving the leadership style, and using varied effective communication means were some suggested possible recommendations to the principals are active participation of stakeholders in school principals creates conducive atmosphere and development With respect to partnership (teachers, students and parents/community members) participation in the formulating of partnership planning of school activities, almost all respondents indicated that their role in planning was medium and low