School Leaders Recruitment and Selection Process in Lare Woreda Gambella Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the process of recruitment and selection that principals engage in as experienced by career principals in Lare Woreda and the problematic aspects that schools face in hiring qualified candidates. The study uses both quantitative and qualitative approach to examine the school leadership Recruitment and selection process in Lare District. Data are collected through semi-structured interviews, questionnaires and Focus Group Discussion, the qualitative design analyzed thematically in a four-stage process of condensing, coding, textual and structural description, and composite description and the quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, percentage and mean scores. The findings reveal that the shortage of qualified candidates is related to the lack of appropriate resources for new principal recruitment. The hiring process lacks a clear set of criteria that would make a candidate the best fit for the principal ship. It has limited advertising strategies to attract and recruit high-quality external candidates. The capability and the expertise of the selection committee also come as a challenging aspect in the process of recruitment. Implications: Therefore, the study presents a model to improve the current recruitment and selection efforts