Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to find out practices and challenge of instructional leadership in
secondary schools of west Hararghe zone. Participant of the study were 139 teachers and 24
principals and supervisors. Participant teachers were selected based on simple random
sampling whereas the rest respondents were taken based on availability sampling techniques.
The data were collected using questionnaire, interview and observations. Both the qualitative
and quantitative data analysis methods were employed.The finding identifies the most
important skills for instructional leaders, which includes; interpersonal communication skill,
motivation and coordination skill, organizational skill in human and material resource in
effective and efficient ways at school environment to deliver access and quality of education
for learner. Moreover, the study revealed, how the majority leaders’ came to position before
they fill necessary requirement like having leadership training, experience and qualification.
On other hand, there were many challenges that encountered the practices of the program.
The major problems identified by the study were lack/absence of training for principals on
instructional leadership practice to fill the required skill, lack of qualified instructional leader
that have not commitment for change, form cooperation/team sprit among the school
community, skill in budget generation and allocation, adequate knowledge in base of
instruction, unwillingness to devote more time for instructional issues and perform the
school’s performance appraisal to teacher and encouragement to use different instructional
method and give feedback to teacher. Therefore, based on the results of finding the
researcher recommended the following comment. Hence, instructional leadership practice
requires necessary skills, any concerned body mainly education sectors from top to down
should prepare and deliver necessary skills building training which includes;interpersonal
communication skill, motivation and coordination skill, organizational skill in human and
material resource for school leaders. Again, the school administrator mainly the school
principals should to form strong relation between school communities.The principal should
be to prepare staff regular meeting by identifying possible resources and personnel that
could assist in a follow-up plan prior to the meeting. Finally, to alleviate related problems
more research should conduct by concerned body or other researcher
