Contributions of instructional leadership and school improvement program (as reforms) for school effectiveness in secondary schools of the technology village woredas of Hawassa University

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate the contributions of educational reforms that embrace instructional leadership and school improvement program for school effectiveness in Secondary Schools of the Technology Village Woredas of Hawassa University. To attain this objective a descriptive survey method was employed for its relatively low cost and its suitability to show situations as they currently exist. It was conducted in a sample of six secondary schools with grades 9 to 12 that were selected with the help of a simple random sampling technique. The subjects of the study were 153 teachers, 23 school leaders, 12 Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) members, 12 students’ council members, and six school improvement programs (SIP) coordinators from the sample schools of the study area. Questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, observation, and document analysis were employed to collect the data. Both inferential as well as descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the quantitative data. Qualitative data were being transcribed, coded, and analyzed along side with the corresponding quantitative data. It was revealed that schools were considered very strong in setting clear goals and in developing a clear vision and defining mission and values. The findings of the study also shown the very positive perception awarded towards the instructional leadership and school improvement program by the major stakeholders of school (principals, vice-principals, teachers, supervisors, SIP coordinators, PTSA members, and learners). Further, the findings of the study revealed that the contributions of instructional leadership and school improvement program in enhancing school effectiveness have been duly acknowledged by the major stakeholders of the schools. The commonly agreed barriers that negatively affect executing instructional leadership and implementing SIP in the schools were lack of adequate capacity building (lack of in-depth training) programs for the secondary school’s major stakeholders; and lack of strong commitment on the part of school leaders to be engaged in tasks related to teaching and learning to which any reform effort of school focuses. Finally, creating opportunities for continuous professional development and capacity-building programs were recommended for the secondary school’s major stakeholders on applying school reforms.