EFFECTIVENESS OF PRINCIPALS' INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN SECONDARY SCHOOL OF GURAGE ZONE

<strong>Abstract: </strong>The purpose of this study is to assess the current status of instructional leadership effectiveness and to investigate some of the factors that affect its provision in secondary Schools of Guraghe Zone. Leaders’ engagement in defining mission, managing curriculum and instruction, supervising instruction, monitoring student progress, promoting school learning climate were used as indicators to assess instructional leadership effectiveness. The context in which instructional leadership is held such as, personal characteristics, organization characteristics and district/zone administrative characteristics were treated as influencing factors. The study was conducted in 9 secondary Schools selected from 5 woredas by using a combination of random and quota sampling techniques, 18 principals, 5 supervision staff and 11 WEB officers were selected by using purposive sampling techniques, 162 teachers selected by using random sampling techniques and used as the subjects of the study to obtain the necessary data. Questionnaire, document analysis and unstructured interview were the instruments used for data collection. The data collected through the questionnaire were analyzed through SPSS-V20 software using percentage, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and t-test statistical analyses procedures. Findings from the data analysis revealed that most school leaders are not strong (effective) neither in each dimension nor in their overall instructional leadership role. Of the personal characteristics treated, only experience as department and as a leader appeared to have significant relationship with ILE. Organizational characteristics, availability of instructional resource, professional norm that greatly value leaders’ participation in curricular and instructional issues contributed positively to ILE, whereas greater role diversity lowered their ILE. Among the district/zone education department characteristics; generally, expectations of higher officials on activities other than instructional leadership or matters that are secondary to ILE as well as high degree of financial and supply delivery problems and delay of substitutes and deployment of teachers have significantly influenced ILE in the negative direction. Following the findings and conclusion drawn, recommendation is made. zone education department collaboration with district education department should define the instructional leadership roles of leaders clearly in terms of the five dimensions, provide trainings in the area, needs strengthen in built supervision, revise and improve the selection and appointment criteria of leadership positions, reduce and improve the organizational and district/zone/ factors incapacitating instructional leadership role of the leader.