Practices and Challenges of Instructional Leadership in Government Secondary Schools of Shebedino Woreda Sidama Zone, Snnpr, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate instructional leadership practices and challenges in government secondary schools of the shebedino woreda, Sidama, Ethiopia. In order to meet the objectives of the study descriptive survey research design was employed. The study reviewed the related literature on leadership aspects, dimensions of instructional leadership, teaching- learning roles of instructional leadership, and attempts were also made to identify factors that affect the effectiveness of instructional leadership. The research method employed in the study was both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Accordingly, a questionnaires were prepared to be filled by teachers, principals, vice principals, and department heads for the quantitative part. For the qualitative, individual interviews, focus group discussion and document analysis were administered. Using availability sampling techniques four secondary schools in study woreda were addressed by this study. The researcher incorporated 77% of the sample populations as respondents. 44 instructional leaders in the schools, 82 teachers, 4 woreda education office and section heads, 54 students’ representatives and 2 woreda supervisors were primary sources of data. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and independent t-test while content analysis approach was used to analyze qualitative data. Likewise, data gathered through interview, focus group discussion and document analysis were considered to complement the questionnaires in narrative form. The findings of the study revealed that principals show low practiced in their instructional leadership role due to work overload, lack of training in educational leadership and management, shortage of resource, lack of commitment and lack of support from concerning body. Finally, based on the findings conclusions, recommendations were made on capacity building and empowering of principals to do their work effectively on instructional leadership rather than administration work, in turn, encouraging participatory approach of leadership. Furthermore, Sidama zone education department with woreda education office is responsible to give directives, supports and guidelines in the cases that whenever shortcomings and gaps were observed, provide adequate budget and arrange workshops, seminars, short and long term training in collaboration with different stakeholders and the schools should organize public relations to create school-community links. Further study in the area advisable. Keywords: Practice, Challenges, Instructional Leadership DOI: 10.7176/JEP/13-28-03 Publication date: October 31 st 2022