Abstract:
The study was conducted to investigate the practices and challenges of effective Teamwork in
secondary schools of West Hararghe Zone, Oromia regional state. To accomplish this study, a
descriptive survey design was used involving ten selected secondary schools in the West Hararghe
zone. The necessary data for the study was collected from 70 school leaders and 71 teachers
selected through purposive and simple random sampling techniques respectively. The
questionnaire was the main instrument of data collection involving document reviews. To analyze
and present the findings, frequency distributions, percentages, Pearson’s correlation coefficient,
means, standard deviations, P-values, and t-tests tools were used and qualitative information
gathered through open-ended questions, document reviewed were analyzed in theme to support
quantitative data. Based on data analysis, it was discovered that the secondary schools in the West
Hararghe zone were not implementing some aspects of effective teamwork as well as they could
have. The results of the data analysis showed that the secondary school leaders in the West
Hararghe Zone did not properly practices several aspects of effective teamwork among the
teachers. In many specific tasks related to team relationships, team purpose and goals, team
passion and commitment, team role effectiveness, and lack of collaboration, cooperation, and
effective communication within the school. They also perceived a significant communication gap
among the academic staff, and in turn weak performance has been noted regarding to working in
team. In addition to the level of education, the field of study of school leaders, the diversity of roles,
issues with finances, the quality of the teaching materials and their delivery, and a variety of
reporting requirements were factors affecting the effectiveness of teamwork practices have also
been identified. Lastly, it was suggested that school leaders may receive training to increase their
ability for team building and should collaborate with Education offices expertise, influential
community leaders and students to solve issues linked to leading teachers in team. The role of
school leaders in using team leadership and relationship ,defining team goals in order to
enhances academic performance should be defined in terms of the few dimensions of effective
teamwork by the regional education bureau in collaboration with the zone and district education
departments.
