Leadership/Management Challenges Of Secondary Schools In Wolaita And Dawro Zones, South Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to analyze the major leadership challenges of the secondary schools of Dawro and Wolaita zones. In order to attain this objective descriptive survey method was employed. The study was carried out in four general secondary schools of wolaita and Dawro zones. Stratified sampling technique for the selection of the schools, simple random sampling technique for teachers’ selection and availability for principals’ selection were used. Hence, principals and teachers were involved and the questionnaire was distributed among teachers and principals and again principals were interviewed. And, also the three years’ (2002-2004 E .C.) EGSECE performance document was analyzed. The data gathered through questionnaire were analyzed using percentages and average mean. Based on the analysis, the study disclosed that the input, competency, economic, social, and attitudinal factors were found to be the major challenges. Accordingly, it was concluded that the challenges were multifaceted. Hence, it is recommended that all the concerned bodies of the zones should take measures to improve the performance of students through tackling the problems taking into account that the outputs of this level are the inputs for the current 33 universities and different development sectors of the country.


INTRODUCTION Background and justification of the Study
It is now 20 years since the introduction of the new Education and Training Policy. Since then, much more has been done to bring about change in improvement of education sector in general and in the management area in particular. For instance, now a days almost all of the schools of the country are made to be managed or at least an attempt has been made to be led by those specialized in educational planning and Management; a number of capacity building trainings were provided(both short and long); the society has been empowered to involve in decision making activities in advance etc. (MOE, 1994).
Despite all the efforts made by the government, performance of schools in general and secondary schools in particular is not as required in a number of schools as the documents of many schools show.
Nowadays leadership is identified as one of the key components of good schools. Without any doubt, quality of the leadership of the head has become the most important factor in the success of schools. Taking in to consideration this reality, a number of attempts have been made to improve the performance of schools (particularly the secondary schools) in the country since 1994. In this regard, the new education and training policy has been formulated with the sound implementation strategies both in access and quality. A number of ESDPs were designed out of which the III and IV were given high attention to ensure quality.
A number of educational inputs in quality and quantity have been provided for secondary schools ; a number of technologies have been introduced to secondary schools(including plasma and ICTs) ;a number of attempts were made to reduce the problems related with student-teacher ratios; student -class ratios; student-book ratios etc. ; the society has been empowered to take part in the decisions of the schools; different capacity building trainings have been offered to principals ; schools were made to be led by both qualified and specialized individuals etc.
Despite these all efforts made and being made by the government-the prevalence of sound policy and strategies, provision of inputs etc., observations at different times, the REB report of 2005, results of the EGSECE of the secondary schools of the two zones(since 2002 E.C. and need assessments made by colleagues show that the performance of students and the effectiveness of the management/leadership of the schools of these zones failed .
Hence, the researchers, taking in to account that graduates of the secondary schools or the out puts of this level are the inputs for the tertiary levels and the productivity of the university graduates highly depends on the performance of secondary school graduates, were interested in investigating the challenges that the leaders of the secondary schools of Wolaita and Dawro zones faced while attempting to improve the performance of students.

Statement of the Problem
Despite all the efforts discharged by the government, the performance of the general secondary schools of the two zones failed. Furthermore, no in-depth research was conducted at this level in the two zones. Hence, this research was aimed at answering the following basic questions: 1) What are the input related factors that challenged the leadership of the schools? 2) What are the process related factors that challenged leaders/or managers? 3) What are the output related factors that challenged leaders/ managers? 4) Which factors are the most serious one(s)?

Objectives
It is obvious that there are different stake holders and factors that negatively or positively influence the effectiveness of leaders and achievement of the goal of organizations like schools.
Human resources, material resources, financial resources and time, the process and the conditions of their output in the society are all the challenges, particularly for those who are in charge of running organizations like secondary schools to ensure high performance of their students. Hence, this study has both the general and specific objectives as follows:

General objective
The general objective of this study is to investigate the major factors that challenge secondary school leaders of the Dawro and Wolaita zones and to ultimately improve the performance of the students through the improvement of the leadership of the leaders based on the findings.

Specific objectives
1) To investigate the internal factors that challenged the school leadership.
2) To assess the external factors that hindered the schools not to be effective in leadership 3) To investigate the most serious problems out of the two categories. 4) To come up with solutions and strategies to the existing problems.

Significance of the Study
Upon the completion of conducting this research, the following +parties would benefit from the findings as follows: 1. All directors of the secondary schools understudy, elementary schools of the zones as well and even the junior colleges in the zones ; 2. It may help as reference material for those who want to conduct a research; 3. It may help the policy makers and even the implementers to revise or visit their roles.

Delimitation of the Study
With regard to the study area scope, because of factors like financial, material, and time constraints, the study was delimited to two preparatory and general schools of Dawro zone and four general and preparatory schools of Wolaita zone respectively. And also it was delimited to the leadership challenges of secondary schools.

Limitations of the Study
The researchers faced the following challenges while conducting the research: 1. Reluctance on the part of principals and teachers of Sodo Comprehensive high school to fill in the questionnaire; 2. Lack of transportation some times to Dawro zone; 3. Business on the part of the principals. However, later on the problems have been resolved through discussion with principals and teachers of these schools.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY Research Method
Descriptive survey was employed and also both qualitative and quantitative data was used based on their advantages and the nature of the stud.

Source of Data
Both primary and secondary sources were employed -principals, v/principals, teachers, and documents were used.

Data Collection Tools
Based on their advantages to reach many informants and also to get in-depth information questionnaire (both close ended and open-ended) and interview(structured and semi-structured) were used respectively and also documents of the recent consecutive three years (2002-2004E.C.) were employed. The tools were prepared in English for teachers and principals, because the medium of instruction of that level is English.

Data Administration
Questionnaire was prepared for ten individuals for the purpose of the pilot study from the two schools of the two zones other than the sample schools and analyzed through cronbach alpha or split half or spearman formula to check its reliability for preparing the actual questionnaire. Because pilot testing has a number of advantages like it helps to estimate the cost and duration of the actual study (Sarantakos ,1998;Oppenheim, 1992). After the actual data collection tools are designed and discussions, orientations and time arrangement were held and made with the informants, they were distributed, filled out and collected back to the researchers.

Data Analysis Tools
Percentages, frequency counts and average mean were employed to analyze both qualitative and quantitative data.

DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
This is the second part of the chapter that focuses on the presentation, analysis and interpretation of data on the major leadership challenges of the general secondary schools of wolaita and Dawro zones, South Ethiopia.
Hence, it had twelve parts: the three years documents(2002-2004E.C.)on the performance of students in EGSSLCE, facilities and materials related factors, competency-based factors, human resource related factors, budget and finance related factors ,behavior and ethics, economic factor, institutional factor, socio-cultural factor, rules and regulations related factors, school support related factors and ranking the problems in the order of seriousness. Though it seems that Tercha and Waka secondary schools performed better during those years, however, when its ratio is seen, its performance is still not good. According to items 1 and 3,there were no adequate and timely block and school grants, according to 56% and 63 % respondents respectively. Apart from that there are no well equipped libraries and laboratories and also no finance management departments, according to items 5,6, and 7.And also according to items8, 9, 10 and 11, there were no standard clinic, latrines, chemicals, no clean drinking water; no lounge for both staff and students; no adequate sport fields. Furthermore, the plasma is not properly functioning because of the recurrent blackout of the electric power and the program adjustment related problems as well. As item 18 indicates also, the ICT is also not functioning properly due to a number of reasons, as witnessed by52%of the respondents. According to items 1 and2, majority of the respondents, 75% and 80% respectively responded that except 2 principals, the rest were not both qualified and specialized in educational leadership. According to item4, there were no professional counselors in all schools. This reality was witnessed by 92% of the respondents.
Apart from the above facts, there were no clinics, professional nurses, janitors, guards, professional librarians, lab technicians, accountants, property managers, properly functioning teachers' associations, properly functioning student councils. With regard to item1, the level of communication of the principals was witnessed to be low by 78.6 respondents. Again according to item3, 68.75% of the respondents witnessed that the attention given for the instructional leadership by the principals was low.
According to the ability to manage conflict and diversity(item4and5), they are found to be low according to 61% and 64% respondents respectively. Again according to the findings above principals failed to retain staff; to develop staff; to use resources efficiently; According to item9, 70(62,5%)of the3 respondents responded that the principals' follow up of students was low. And also according to item11 and 12, the extent to which principals give attention to physically disabled and the extent to which high performing employees are rewarded was found to be low. And also the extent to which the employees are motivated by their leaders is low, and the degree to which the teachers and other employees are involved in decision making was found to be low. According to item15, the degree to which principals raise fund for their respective schools was low. According to item1of Table VI, 75%, 79.5% and81.25%of the respondents responded that they do not get the financial, material and labor support respectively from the community.
With regard to the parents' follow up of the progress of their children, 84.5% of the respondents said that they had not, and 84.5 % 0f the respondents(item 3), said that the parents were not involved in counseling of their children in schools.
According to item4,70.5%of the respondents responded that there was no capacity building continuous support for schools from their respective woredas.
With regard to item5, (91.1%)of the respondents responded that there was no woreda support in infrastructure buildings for schools.
Concerning the support from NGOs,106(94.6%)of the respondents from many schools said that there was no support . With regard to item1,2,3,though there were school rules and regulations and calendar as well, however, the existing community does not respect them according to 64(57.14%)of the respondents.
Concerning item5,100% of the respondents witnessed that the libraries of the respective schools do not give service for the whole day(24 hrs). With regard to item1,78(70%) of the respondents responded that they do not love their profession, and students are not interested in learning(according to 91%of the respondents. According to 81(72%) of the respondents students are unethical(item7), and according to item8. With regard to item1,112(100%) of the respondents said that students were overburdened with the house chores. With regard to whether students come to schools during the holidays,99(88.4%) of the respondents responded that the students did not come to school usually during the holidays.
With regard to whether teachers and leaders supported their customers , 77(68.75%) of the respondents agreed that they did not give more attention to students support during their part time. With regard to item1,2,3and 4,112(100%)of the respondents witnessed that almost all of their students come from economically poor family, there was transportation problem, there was recurrent pandemic diseases , and hence, the dropout rate was alarming. With regard to item1, 102(91%)and87(78%) of the respondents responded that the block grant and school grant were not adequate to run the scool effectively. And also according to item2and4, both grants were not timely(according to71% and59%respondents.
Concerning items5,6,and7, 88%,88%,and100%of the respondents responded that there were no professional accountants, no procurement department, and no procurement specialists. Apart from the above, the teaching learning materials and goods were not purchased on the right time;and not distributed on the right time.
According to items10 and 11, 54%and73% of respondents respectively witnessed that the budget pla was not participatory and the internal fund raising mechanism was missing in many schools. Ethical problem of teachers 9 th 5 5 Community participation problem 4th 14 6 Leadership problem 5th 8 7 Lack of commitment on the part of students 8th 5 8 Facility problem 7th 6 9 Economic problem 6th 8 The above table shows that lack of competency and leadership related problems took first place which account for 28(25%). Next, financial and disciplinary problems were found to be the serious problems of these schools and community participation, poverty, facility, lack of commitment on the part of students and ethics related problems were found to be the next striking problems of these schools.

MAJOR FINDINGS
The main purpose of the study was to identify the major Leadership/Management challenges of the secondary schools of wolaita and Dawro zones, South Ethiopia.
Accordingly, the assessment of the major factors-input-related, process-related factors and output related factors were carried out.
In order to achieve the purpose of the study, the following basic questions were stated and dealt with: 1) What are the input related challenges of leadership? 2) What are the process related challenges of the leadership? 3) What are the output related challenges of the leadership? 4) Which factor is the most challenging factor for the leaders?
Accordingly, the major findings of the analysis made were as follows: Ø All the principals were found to be males; Ø The majority(86%) of teachers were found to be males; Ø Only 2(16.67%)of the principals were found to be qualified-second degree holders; and 100% of the teacher respondents were first degree holders; Ø There were no adequate and timely block and school grants; Ø There were no well equipped libraries and laboratories, and no finance departments; Ø There were no standard clinics, latrines, chemicals, drinking water , standard lounges for both the staff and students; and no adequate and standard sport fields; Ø Plasma and ICT are not properly functioning; Ø Majority of the principals(75%) of the principals were not specialized in educational leadership; Ø There were no professional counselors for students; Ø There were no professional nurses, janitors, guards, lab technicians, librarians, accountants, property managers, properly functioning teachers associations, and student councils; Ø The level of communication of principals was found to be low with all the concerned bodies; Ø The attention given for instructional leadership was poor; Ø The capacity to conflict and diversity management on the part of the managers was found to be low; Ø Principals failed to retain and develop the staff and use the scarce resources efficiently; Ø Principals could not give attention to physically disabled and girls; Ø Principals ignored rewarding the high performing employees; Ø The school community could not properly involve in decision making on school affairs; Ø The school income generation was found to be very low; Ø The community school participation was found to be low; Ø The parent school relationship was found to be weak; Ø The continuous capacity building training in all "weredas"or districts was found to be weak; Ø Less attention was given for infrastructure building in all weredas of the two zones; Ø The support in many weredas from NGOs was poor; Ø The existing rules and regulations in many schools were found to be violated by students and the community; Ø The libraries the schools do not give services for 24 hours;