Conflict management in secondary schools of South west shoa zone, oromia region

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to investigate the conflict managements in secondary school of South West Shoa Zone.Hence, the study employed descriptive survey research design, which is supplemented by mixed approach. The study was carried out in 12 randomly selected secondary schools of south west shoa zone. A total of 280 individuals participated in the study. Among them 230 teachers were included as a sample through simple random sampling technique especially lottery method, 22principals,10 supervisors, and 18 administration workers were included by purpose 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, and one way ANOVA. While data obtained through open ended questions, and interview were qualitatively analyzed. The result of the study revealed problems of staff and students discipline, lack of participatory decision making, communication barrier, lack professional commitments, inadequate resource for staff and students, unfairness do to ethnic and ideological difference on part of management, inappropriate implementation of rule and regulation, poor evaluation system of performance and the incapability of educational managers to deal with conflicts were some of the common sources of conflicts which frequently occurred in secondary schools. The interpersonal, intrapersonal, interagroup and intergroup conflict type were also identified in this study. In addition, compromise, avoiding, and problems solving, and using PTA committee were found to be the most frequently used techniques of managing conflict. The involved of school community such as teachers, supervisors and administration workers to resolve conflict were low. In general the findings revealed that the majority of the school principals were not play a role expected from them due to lack of the basic knowledge how of managing conflicts. Therefore, for the effectiveness of managing conflict processes, assist in management of conflicts, for the purpose of getting balanced view of conflicts, special training for managers, teachers and administration workers on conflict resolution strategies in schools and displaying high co-operative behaviors recommended.