Instructional Leadership Practices in Secondary Schools of Assosa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate instructional leadership practices in secondary schools of Assosa zone, Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State, Ethiopia. In order to address the objectives of the study, a cross sectional descriptive survey method was employed. The population of the study were 266 teachers and 12 principals. From this number of population, 141 teachers and 12 principals were used as a sample using simple random and comprehensive sampling techniques respectively. Data collected from respondents was analyzed and interpreted using Percentage, one sample t-test, and weighted mean. The finding revealed that,  among instructional leadership functions, instructional leaders’ role in  communicating school goals, supervision and evaluation of instruction, monitoring of school progress, protection of instructional time, maintaining high visibility, are promoting professional development seemed to be at a level near to average. Whereas, coordination of the curriculum, providing incentive for teachers, and incentive for students were significantly low performed. Based on findings it is concluded that, instructional leadership practices in the zone seem to be deprived. On top of the findings, recommendations are forwarded to address the weaknesses encountered by the principals in their instructional leadership activities mainly focusing on empowering both principals and schools to foster instructional leadership practices in the secondary schools of the zone.