Assessment of School Climate and Leadership Practices: The Case of Four Selected Secondary Schools of Eastern Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was intended to assess the school climate and leadership practices of school principals in four selected secondary schools of Eastern Hararghe zone. The purpose of this study was to look into the depth of the nature of the existing school climate and the principals’ leadership practice. The review of literature tried to overview the concept of school climate, leadership style and school leadership performance. It suggests school climate can affect many areas and people within schools. It further suggests that positive interpersonal relationships and optimal learning opportunities in all demographic environments can increase school achievement levels and reduce maladaptive behaviors. The study employed a descriptive survey method. Four out of twenty two secondary schools were selected as a sample for the study by using simple random sampling techniques. The research involved four categories of sample population, i.e. principals, teachers, students’ representatives and PTA members. Questionnaire and Interview were the main instruments used to collect data. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. SPSS version 16 was used for the quantitative analysis. The major conclusions made from the study were better relationship among teachers and teacher-student relation observed in most schools. Instructional leadership style was mostly practiced by the school principals though some of them are either task-centered or people-centered or both. Parents less cooperate with the school community in general. Problems of lack of organized and continuous training for school principals, inefficient support from the schools boards, PTA and the community; and community maturity level (awareness) influences principals’ performance sequentially. Moreover, schools principals had better performance level in their professional attitude. National education policy makers, educational leaders, school principals, teachers and PTA are recommended to consider the recommendation forwarded to alleviate some of the existing problems. Keywords: leadership practices, school Climate, school performance, principals performance