THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP STYLES AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF EAST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA NATIONAL REGIONAL STATE

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