Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to assess the practices of school based management in secondary
schools of Kefa Zone. Descriptive research design with concurrent collection and analysis of
quantitative and qualitative data was employed. Both primary and secondary sources of data
were used. The data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and FGD and document
analysis. The quantitative data were analyzed through frequency, percentages, mean and SD
whereas the qualitative data were narrated and explored in words. The study was conducted on
132 sample size as respondents, and the collected data was analyzed through frequency,
percentages, Mean and SD and the qualitative data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The
finding of this study shows that the staff development and instructional leadership process were
perceived at adequate level of practice. Besides the students’ gross and net enrollment rate as
well as fair or equal enrollment rate of female to male students. This study also found that the
SBM practices in the schools were constrained with problems such as: Inconsistency of
mentoring newly employed teachers, lack of providing school based on job training and
evaluating its effect on staff development, Inadequate practice of participatory decision making,
lack of effective monitoring and evaluation procedures and inconsistency of providing effective
supervisory function, inadequate survival rate of students at these secondary schools, low
participation of pupils in class room instruction, inability of students in cooperative learning
skills, low achievement of students in reading, writing and arithmetic skills , lack of parental
support and inability of making conducive school environment which attract students for
learning. Therefore, based on the finding of the study , the researcher concluded that as one of the SBM
the staff development and instructional leadership process were perceived at adequate level of practices
in contrast the practices of participatory decision making ,monitor and evaluation, resources
management as well as function of supervision were at inadequate level of practices , and the
participation of community in setting the school priorities , the involvement of school –community in
allocation of resources to exercise the school and engagement of external audit resources utilization are
at in adequate level of implementation. Finally, based on the finding and conclusion, the researcher
recommended that the school principals, KETB, PTA committee members and the whole school
community should actively participate in SBM practices in regard of setting the school
developmental plan, allocation of necessary resources in school improvement.
