Abstract:
The objective of this study was to examine the roles of instructional leadership in the
context of Enarj Enawga woreda primary schools. To meet this objective, the
instructional leadership dimensions related with developing mission and goals, managing
the educational-production function, promoting an academic learning climate and
developing a supportive work environment were the major study areas. The study
employed qualitative method and exploratory design. Six schools were selected by using
purposive sampling and six principals by using comprehensive sampling and eighteen
teachers were selected by using purposive sampling. Data collected through interview
(semi-structured) were qualitatively analyzed. Closed-ended questionnaires were also
used to obtain information on personal characteristic of the respondents. The major
findings of the study were identified the major roles of instructional leadership. These
roles of instructional leadership include setting vision and defining mission, clarifying
the core school values, setting aims and developing goals, planning, implementing,
monitoring and evaluating, actively involving in promoting the curriculum with the help
of action research, promoting quality instruction, supervising and evaluating instruction
and allocating instructional time. It also includes encouraging professional development
of teachers by implementing and leading CPD program and building effective and
supportive environment in schools. The study also showed that there is no similar
understanding between principals and teachers about the factors of instructional
leadership except the dimension of promoting an academic learning climate.
Instructional leader must have a vision for the organization that is clearly focused upon
desired outcome, communicate that vision to everyone, provide and/or obtain the
resources needed to accomplish the vision and manage one-self. The researcher also
recommended that the woreda education office should give greater emphasis to
instructional leadership part of leaders’ roles, promote principals role by providing
instructional leadership training and enabled them to adopt best practice to fill
knowledge gab in their instructional leadership. And it is advisable for instructional
leaders to use the techniques of people getting things done with the support and
cooperation of people within the school and act as a situation by coping with the coming
situations in school rather being rigid in all situation.