INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF BALE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

The ineffective instructional leadership practices in school activities in one or other may affect the teaching-learning and the education system in general. Thus, this study aimed at assessing the instructional leadership effectiveness in secondary schools of Bale zone, Oromia Regional State. As a research design, the explanatory sequential design was employed. Then, the study applied mixed research method in order to build up the relation exists between the quantitative and qualitative methods. Data was gathered through questionnaire, interviews and document reviews. In Bale zone, there are 57 government secondary schools in which there are 1067 teachers, 57 school principals, and 23 supervisors. From this, 221 teachers were selected using stratified random sampling technique from 11 schools sampled proportionally from six randomly selected districts. And then, 57 school leaders (one principal, one vice-principal (except two Woreda which contributed each two) & three department heads from each sampled schools), six Woreda education experts (one from each sampled Woreda), six supervisors (one from each sampled Woreda) and three zonal education office members were taken. Out of the sampled teachers and school leaders, 213 and 48, respectively were the respondents who returned the questionnaire and incorporated in the study. Thus, totally 213 teachers, 48 school leaders and 15 education leaders were included in the study. Data obtained through questionnaires were analyzed using statistical tools like mean, average mean, standard deviation and independent sample t-test. Moreover, data gathered through interview and document analysis were considered to complement the questionnaires in narrative form. The main findings come out from this study were: the school leaders poorly play their roles as instructional leader in relation to setting the school vision and developing school mission; they were not effectively implementing supervision, monitoring and evaluating of instructional programs; they were less effective in promoting a conducive school learning climate, and they were not skillfully well qualified in order to play their roles as instructional leaders. Furthermore, the study revealed that there were insignificant roles of instructional leaders in teaching-learning process like building effective relationship, professional skill development, supportive and directive roles. Out of many challenges, the major challenges that secondary schools in the study area come across while trying to implement effective instructional leadership were lack of skills and training, lack of good cooperation and commitment for instructional improvement, lack of resource availability and budget allocation, and lack of vision, will and courage. Finally, to minimize and if possible to solve the problems, the WEOs, ZEO, NGOs and the region in collaboration with schools should give training for instructional leaders by arranging induction training for beginner leaders; preparing experience sharing programs and support leaders in doing action research, giving professional support to instructional leaders and teachers in order to improve their instructional limitations and develop their profession in general.