Implementation and challenges of teacher development programs in secondary schools of Sidama national regional state

Effective teacher professional growth is essential for instructional quality in transitioning administrative contexts. This study assesses the implementation of Teacher Development Programs (TDP) in secondary schools of the Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia. Adopting an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design grounded in a pragmatist paradigm, data were collected from 562 practitioners and 12 high-level leaders. Quantitative analysis using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) revealed that the integrated model predicts 68.4% of the variance in effective TDP implementation. Crucially, the success of the program is significantly mediated by distributed leadership and teacher autonomy, which serve as “operational bridges” between policy and classroom enactment. Qualitative findings underscore that while the policy framework is sound, practitioners face a “compliance-centric” culture and resource deficits. The study argues that secondary education must move beyond being an “elite science product” toward a sustainable, inclusive system. Recommendations include decentralizing TDP resources and establishing merit-based links between professional growth and career advancement.