EFFECTIVENESS OF PRINCIPALS’ LEADERSHIP STYLES IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing effectiveness of principals’ leadership styles in school improvement and students’ academic achievement. It adopted pragmatic research paradigm and convergent parallel design. Sampling techniques used were cluster to draw 6 zones of Oromia region out of 20, purposiv followed by random to select 80 schools out of 306, 160 principals out of 240, 240 heads of departments out of 320 and 30 interviewees out of the accessible and purposive to take 36 discussants. Data were collected by using self-developed questionnaires, semi-structured interview, focus group discussion and document analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed by using appropriate statistics such as means and standard deviations; independent samples t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r), whereas the qualitative data were analyzed by using narrative and paraphrasing methods. The finding revealed that transformational leadership style was the most dominantly practiced. The study found that the principals practiced transformational and instructional school leadership styles above medium values, but did not bring about change on the schools’ status. This was because 86.3% of the sample schools were remained unimproved in their levels within 2018-2021 years. The study indicated that there was a weak correlation between schools’ levels and students’ academic results. The findings identified that inactive participation of parents in school affairs, low commitment of students for improvement of their academic results, lack of standard facilities and curriculum inputs, weak practices of structures and lack of capacity building for principals.were among the main challenges that affected effectiveness of the principals’ school leadership styles in overall improvement of the schools. The study also verified that existing levels of the schools served as mediated-effect for the students’ academic achievement. From these findings, therefore, it was concluded that school leadership styles were not effectively implemented for promotion of the schools improvement to the required levels (level 3 and 4) and to capacitate all students to score the compulsory subjects above pass or average mark. Finally, it was recommended that the principals and other key stakeholders should provide sufficient tecchnical, professional and financial supports in order to bring about the schools to the required levels and sustainably improve students’ academic results.