The Practices and Challenges of Implementation of School Improvement Program in Majang Zone Secondary Schools by Yimam Muhye approved for the degree of “Master of Arts in Educational Leadership

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to assess the practices and challenges of school improvement program implementation in secondary school, to identify the major achievements made, to identify, basic problems associated with the implementation of school improvement program /SIP/ and then to provide recommendations to identify problems. To achieve these purposes three basic research questions related to the practices and challenges of SIP in secondary schools were set. Descriptive survey approach was employed; available sampling techniques were used. Accordingly, questionnaire, interview and focused group discussion were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data and questionnaire were administered to 126 teachers, and 8 educational leaders, 134 (one hundred thirty-four) Questionnaires were properly filled and retuned. Interviews were conducted with 2 woreda education office experts, 1 zone education office and 42 PTSA members. In addition, focus group discussion was conducted with 42 SIPC members. Then the information obtained through questionnaires was analyzed using percentage and mean value and the information gathered from interview and focus group discussion was qualitatively described. The finding of this study indicates that the practices of school improvement have been low in most cases, medium in some cases and high in rare cases. Due to this, the status of school improvement program implementations was not to the expected level. The achievements made so far are not encouraging and no significant efforts have been made to strengthen the implementation of school improvement program. Thus, to overcome the major problems associated with the implementation of school improvement program, recommendations have been for warded; this include: in Majang Zone secondary school there are challenges to implement SIP therefore the regarding body should minimize through preparing adequate awareness creation program to ensure practical involvement of all stake holders, organizing and allocating the necessary resources, providing proper technical support and practical training to support the implementation of school improvement program(SIP).