dc.description.abstract |
Decentralization and school based management are redefining the role ofthe school principal
from school manager to instructional leader.
The principal's core responsibility is to ensure
i
quality teaching and learning in classroom. The aim ofthis study was to examine the practice of
principals in implementing instructional leadership in secondary schools. To this end an attempt
was made to look
in to the current practice ofprincipals ofsecondary schools ofBahir Dar City
Administration. Descriptive survey
and causal comparative methods were employed. All thel2
government and none government secondary schools were included in the study. The population
of the study was 560 secondary school teachers, 24 principals and vice principals and one
cluster schools supervisor. Among these, 280 sample teachers were selected by random
sampling technique using lottery system
and all the 24 principals and vice principals, and one
supervisor were selected by comprehensive sampling method. Questionnaires and unstructured
)
interview were used to gather data. The questionnaires contained a 5 point rating scale. The
data obtained was then analyzed using various statistical tools such as percentage, frequency,
mean value, one sample
and independent sample t-tests. The data gatheredfrom the interview of
principals and clus(~r supervisor were used as supportive data. The major findings of the
research
were: the instructional leadership practice ofgovernment secondary school principals
was found insufficient while that
of non government school principal was encouraging. The
result of the comparative study between the two groups ofprincipals showed that there was
significant statistical difference between the two groups and non government school principals
were found better
in practicing instructional leadership. The major challenges were: lack of
commitment ofthe principals, over loaded paper work and routine managerial activities, lack of
adequate training for principals, lack ofcommitment ofthe city administration education office
to support principals, lack ofincentives and advancement opportunities for principals and, lack
offinancial and material supply for schools. The recommendations forwarded were: providing
sustained
and planned support for principals, rewarding successful and model principals,
establishing effective carrier structure program for principals, providing pre-service and in
service instructional leadership training
for principals, scaling up best practices ofprincipals,
careful selection
and recruitment ofprincipals. creating strong school-community partnership
to solve financial
and material supply problems ofschools and reducing the managerial tasks of
principals so that they get time to focus on their instructional leadership roles. |
en_US |