Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to assess the practices and challenges of change
management in preparatory schools of south west shoa zone. To accomplish this purpose,
the study employed descriptive survey research design and mixed research method . The
study was carried out in 6 randomly selected preparatory schools of south west shoa
zone. A total of 122 individuals participated in the study. Among them 113 teachers were
included as a sample through simple random sampling technique especially lottery
method, 6 preparatory school principals, and 3 vice principals were included by census
sampling. Questionnaires were the main instrument of data collection. Interviews and
documents analysis were also utilized to substantiate the data collected through the
questionnaire. The analysis of the quantitative data was carried out by using frequency,
percent, mean, and standard deviation. While data obtained through open ended
questions, and interview were qualitatively analyzed. The result of the study revealed
that, less emphasis was given to the process of pre planning and developing
implementation plan of change, as teachers were not well versed in skills and knowledge
of change concepts before actual implementation of change and the way schools plan
necessary resources for change were not adequate. Further, low attention was given to
communication aspect of change, schools show low performance in identifying area of
weakness and strength while implementing change, there is lack of giving training on the
identified weaknesses and also school principals show low performance in providing
continuous and timely feedback during implementation of change. Change
implementations in schools encounter different challenges, the main reasons to these
challenges are: lack of training, loss of freedom or inconvenience, group resistance,
knowledge or skill gap and past habit experiences. Finally the study forwarded the
following recommendations: creating awareness and empowering the implementers of
change in skills and knowledge, planning necessary resources for change,
communicating changes has to accompanied in feedback, schools has to identify area of
weakness and strength in the implementation process of changes, and involving teachers
in planning process of change, making open and regular discussion and rewarding those
teachers who best implement the changes
