The Practices and Challenges of Internal School Supervision: The Case in East Wollega Secondary Schools

Abstract

The main objectives of this study was to look in to the practices, challenges and prospective of internal school supervision in secondary schools of East Wollega Zone. A descriptive survey research method was used to enable to assess the practices without any intervention. A multistage sampling technique was employed as selection of respondents was made at three stages. From all of the Woredas Secondary Schools, a total of ten (10) secondary schools were selected by availability sampling. Then from each ten (10) sample schools 64(100%) education leaders (10 school principals, 10 deputy school principals,4 secondary school supervisors and forty (40) department head teachers) were selected by available sampling techniques. Questionnaire, interview and document analysis were used as data gathering instruments. In addition, the researcher consulted relevant reference books; internet sources and supervision manuals to support the findings of the study and document analysis. Data was using mean score and t-test whereby the qualitative data was narrated to triangulate the qualitative data. The finding of the study revealed that internal supervisors were not doing what they have to do as they are overloaded by teaching assignment. Moreover, they were not doing the work of school community relation as they were having no time to liaison between school and community. On top of these the finding also revealed that the major challenges for internal supervisors were: teaching burden on supervisors, internal supervisors were few in number, lack of instructional support skills on supervisor side, attitude of both supervisors and supervises as well as less attention given to school based supervision. Therefore, it can be said the actual practices of school based supervision was not as per the intension. Hence, the education offices at various levels need to give due attention for enhance the skills of internal supervisors through rigorous pre- and in-service training program. It is also better to reduce the teaching load of internal supervisors so that they can get time to support teachers in the classroom as per the intention to have school based supervision.