Abstract:
This study was conducted to assess the Practices and Challenges of Instructional Supervision in
Asossa Zone Primary Schools. To conduct the study, descriptive survey design was employed and
Multistage sampling technique was employed to select the sample Woredas, cluster centers, school
principals and teachers. To this end, 6 Woreda Education Officers, 13 cluster supervisors, 24 primary
schools with 24 school principals and 157 teachers were included in this study. Questionnaire was the
main data gathering instrument for this study. Thus, 157 teachers, 24 school principals, and 13 cluster
supervisors filled the questionnaires. An interview was also conducted to enrich the quantitative data. As
a result, six Woreda Education Officers were interviewed. Quantitative data collected through
questionnaire was analyzed by using mean scores and „F‟ test by using SPSS v.16.o. The data gathered
through interview was discussed in line with questionnaire. Consequently, the main findings come out
from this study were: instructional supervisors attempt to identify strengths and limitations of
teachers in the classroom in order to design appropriate intervention was insignificant; in addition,
intervention of instructional supervisors so as to assist teachers improve their limitations was
insufficient; teachers gained support from supervisors in order to improve their instructional
skills was insufficient. Instructional supervisors‟ effort in liaising schools/clusters with various
organizations, community groups and other interests in matters that affect quality education
were also insufficient. The major challenges that primary school instructional supervisors come
across while implementing instructional supervision was multiple. They were overburdened with
other tasks, teaches the same credit like other teachers, teachers are challenged to accept
recommendation and do not have financial allowances. Finally, to minimize and if possible to
solve the problems, the following recommendations were drawn; the Woreda Education office,
Asossa Zone Education Department and the region in collaboration with schools should give
training for instructional supervisors; instructional supervisors in Asossa Zone should arrange
induction training for beginner teachers; experience sharing programs and support teachers in
doing action research. In addition to these; instructional supervisors should give professional
support to teachers in order to improve their instructional limitations; they also had great
responsibility to link the schools with other stakeholders and finally recommended that
instructional supervisors were overburdened with other works and the school and woreda
education offices should fulfill the required offices with furniture and stationeries.
