Abstract:
The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between leadership
effectiveness and students’ academic achievement in Government Preparatory
Schools of Jimma Zone. This study employed correlational research design including
Quantitative and Qualitative methods. A total of 199 respondents, including 186
teachers using simple random sampling and 13 school leaders using purposive
sampling were involved in this study. Among the 20 preparatory schools in the zone, 8
were selected by purposive sampling technique. Data for the study were collected
through questionnaires, interviews, and document analyses. Descriptive statistics
such as mean, standard deviation and percentage as well as Inferential statistics such
as ANOVA, Pearson r correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were
applied for the data analysis The findings of the study revealed that leadership
effectiveness has a significant and positive relationship with students’ academic
achievement in Jimma zone preparatory schools. Defining school vision and mission,
managing curriculum, supervising instruction, and promoting positive school climate
were significantly and moderately correlated to students’ academic achievement
while monitoring students’ progress sub scale was not. The five factors used for the
leadership effectiveness as predictor variables in the regression model were shown to
have a positive and significant relationship (r=0.731, p<0.01) with students’
academic achievement when viewed as a whole, but they made varied results when
observed individually. Supervising instruction is the most positive predictor of
students’ academic achievement (B=.213, β=.304) in Jimma zone preparatory
schools; whereas, monitoring students’ progress was found to be the least significant
predictor of academic achievement. It is recommended that school principals had
better to use the extending of university entrance examination schedule as an
advantage to teach and help their students rather than complaining about the
extending of the examination program.
