PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES OF SCHOOL BASED MANAGEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF GIRAWA WOREDA EAST HARARGE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess practice and challengesof decentralized school based management and monetary decision-making in Girawa Woreda Public Secondary Schools. To accomplish this purpose, descriptive survey study design was used. This study was carried out in Oromia regional state, East Hararge zone three public secondary schools were selected through available sampling techniques. The necessary data for the study was collected from 37 school leaders, and 102 teachers selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques respectively. Questionnaire was the main instrument of data collection. Document analysis, and interview were also utilized to substantiate the data obtained through the questionnaire. Percentage, frequency, standard deviation and mean were employed in analyzing and reporting the results. Qualitative data obtained through open ended questions, document analysis, and interview was analyzed using narration. Findings from data analysis discovered that the performance level of school managements in exercising; academic staff development,instructional leadership process , monitoring and evaluation process, and also students’ academic progress were moderate. From this it is possible to conclude that school managements were significantly exercise their roles in organizing a decentralized school based management structures in the public secondary schools of the study area except in exercising decision-making process, school resources management and cluster supervision. However, the findings indicated that school managements effectiveness in implementing decentralized school based management structure was mainly affected by lack of school facilities, lack of clarity of the roles between school managements. And also lack of knowledge on SBM , lack of appropriate professional development for school leaders and inadequate finances. Inaddtition to thi , it was recommended that the administrative support from district administrative offices should also give more emphasis to the activities that have great influence on the practices of decentralized school based management structure. This could be attained by providing the necessary budget and supplies adequately on time. Thus, school managements needs to device strategic and short term plan, to provide training, and also delegating and communicating tasks to stakeholders in rank and line effectively.