Abstract:
ABSTRACT
The purpose of study was to assess the relationship between school leadership style and
students’ academic achievement in five secondary schools of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia
National Regional State. For this study, correlation research design was employed.
Eastern Harargahe has 20 Woredas and 4 administrative towns, 1 town. The researcher
selected 5 secondary schools by multi-stage sampling technique that would represent the
selected urban and rural woredas. Regarding the respondents, 5 principals, 5 supervisors,
10 vice principals and 20 department heads were taken using Census sampling techniques;
besides, 160 teachers and 313 students were selected by simple random sampling
technique. Likewise, for the purpose of data collection, questionnaire, interview and
document analysis were used. Consequently, the gathered data were analyzed using both
quantitative and qualitative methods. The Findings of the study revealed that Autocratic
and Leases-Fair leadership styles are used by leaders though they have a gap in regularly
collecting information on teaching and learning process in order to advance the student
achievement, having strategic plan with parents regarding the advancement of the
students’ academic progress, and group decision making and working with parents on
students’ academic achievements. Leases-fair leadership style followers do not check the
instructional concern and they never offer feedback/support where it is needed.
Furthermore, in case of democratic leadership style practice, there are improvements on
students’ performance in relation to other schools where the principals are utilizing
different approaches to advance the students’ academic progress. Accordingly, the
findings concluded that strong negative correlation between leadership styles and student
achievement. In addition the highest average mean scores were obtained in those school
led by democratic leaders and the least score obtained in the schools that are led by
laissez-faire leaders. Based on the findings and conclusion, it is recommended that the
Zone and Woreda Education Offices should provide the awareness about the importance
and impact of each specific leadership style and practice in their schools in order to
advance the students’ academic achievement; each school leader must develop and
practice school leadership styles in order to bring positive improvements. Finally, every
school leader should be alert, conscious, self-evaluator, and committed to apply the
appropriate leadership styles in the school in order to promote the students’ academic
achievement
