Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to investigate school principal’s leadership effectiveness in some selected secondary school in West Omo zone. To conduct the study descriptive survey design was used with both qualitative and quantitative methods. Among 14 secondary government secondary schools was founded in the Zone. Eight (8) secondary schools were selected to conduct the research by purposive sampling technique. A total of 78 teachers were selected by simple random sampling technique and 8 principals, 4 vice principals, 4 cluster supervisor,4 educational experts and 4 PTAs were selected by purposive sampling techniques. Questionnaires, semi-structured interview and focus group discussions were employed as instrument of data collection. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches of research were employed to quantify and describe the data. The collected data by questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency percentage and mean). It was found out that effectiveness of school’s principals’, in setting goals, developing vision, forming strong functional relationship among the school community, and showing professional endeavors in inspiring teachers do their work enthusiastically was below the desired level. The study further revealed that lack of adequate training and experience related to the functions of instructional leadership, high staff turnover, shortage of resources and more engagement on routine works that had less value to the schools’ vision and mission were some of the main problems hindering principals’ leadership effectiveness. Accordingly, it is concluded that almost all of the school principals were not effectively leading core activities of their schools by forming communal cooperation among the staff within the school, on one hand, and collaboration between the staff of the schools and the community outside the schools, on the other hand. Finally, it is recommended that responsible parties including woreda and west Omo zone educational office are advised to fill the knowledge and skill gaps of the principals by designing and providing long and short term professional training and development programs on: strategic instructional leadership, effective cooperative and collaborative school leadership styles as well as internalization of the selection criteria as stipulated in “A Blue Print for Teachers Development Program” in a suitable manner.
