Etecha Fekadu Dabesa1
1Department of Educational Planning and Management, College of Education and Behavioral Studies, Wolkite University, Wolkite, Ethiopia
Abstract: The main purpose of this study was to assess the current principals’ decision-making practice in government preparatory schools of West Shoa Zone, Oromia Regional State. To conduct this study, a quantitative research method particularly cross-sectional descriptive survey design was employed. A total of 233 respondents were included into the study. The data were collected through questionnaire, interview which was semi-structured, focus group discussion and document review. Data gathered through questionnaire were analyzed using percentage, frequency and chi-square. Data obtained through interview, focus group discussion and document review were qualitatively analyzed. The study revealed that the principals’ decision-making practice in participating stakeholders in most areas of principals’ decision-making practice of preparatory schools was unsatisfactory. Absence of participatory school leadership, lack of trust between stakeholders and principals were some of the factors that were found to have hindered principals’ decision-making practice in schools. It was, thus, concluded that stakeholders’ role in school decision-making was not given due attentions in preparatory schools under the study. This is likely to affect the overall activities of schools, in general, and decision-making practice, in particular. Based on the conclusion, consequently, it was recommended that woreda/district education office need to assign trained and experienced principals and train principals who can empower stakeholders to participate and improve the decision-making practices of schools.
Keywords: Decision-Making, Practices, Principals, Schools
References:
Balcha, D. (2012). Teachers’ Participation in Decision Making Process in Bale Zone. Unpublished Master’s Thesis. AAU.
Chen, Y.F., & Tjosvold, D. (2006). Participative leadership by American and Chinese managers in China: The role of relationships. Journal of Management Studies, 43 (8), 1727-1752.
Creswell, J. W. (2012). Educational research: planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative nresearch. Boston: MA Pearson.
De Grauwe, A., Candy, L., Tiberius, B., Pulane, J., Lefoka, M., Samuel, K., & Wilson, A. (2011). Strengthening local actors: The path to decentralizing education. Kenya, Uganda, and Lesotho, Paris: International Institute for Educational Planning and UNESCO.
Desalegn, G. (2014). The practices of teachers’ involvement in decision-making in government secondary schools of jimma town . Unpublished Master’s Thesis. JU.
Dunne, M., Kwame, A., & Sara, H. (2012). School processes, local governance, and community participation: Understanding access, CREATE Pathways to Access: Brighton: Consortium for Educational Access, Transitions and Equity (Vol. 6). University of Sussex.
Furi, G. (2016). Practices of principals in enhancing participatory decision-making in secondary schools of West Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State. MA Thesis.
Marshall, V. (2012). Participation in decision making: A matter of context. Leadership and Organizational Development Journal, 25 (8), 646-662.
MoE (2010a). Educational Sector Development Program IV (ESDP IV): Program Action Plan (PAP) . Addis Ababa.
MoE (2010b). Education Sector Development Programme IV (ESDP IV). Addis Ababa.
Olanie, D. (2015). Decision making practices of government secondary school leaders of Meta Woreda, East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State. Unpublished Master’s Thesis, HU.
Oromia Education Bureau (2011). School Improvement Program (SIP) Manual Finfine: Oromia Regional State, Oromia, Ethiopia.
Shibeshi, A. (2011). Theories of Educational Management Set Readers (Vols. I-III ). Addis Ababa.
Singh, A.S. & Masuku, M. B. (2014). Sampling techniques & determination of sample size in applied statistics research: An overview. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and Management, 2(11), 1-22.
Somech, A. (2010). Participative decision making in school: A Mediating– Moderating outcomes analytical framework for understanding school and teacher. Retrieved from https://eaq.sagepub. com /content/46/2/174.
UNESCO (2014). Decentralizing Education Management Newsletter- a quarterly publication in English and French. Paris: International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa.
Walker, E.M. (2000). Decentralization and participatory decision making: Implementing School-based management in the Abbott districts. Research Brief, 1(1), 3-23.
Workneh, A. (2012). School management and decision-making in Ethiopian government schools: Evidence from the young lives qualitative school survey. Oxford Department of International Development (ODID). University of Oxford.
Yelfign, T. (2010). Teachers’ Participation in Decision – making at school. Amhara National Regional State Education Bureau, 1(1).
International Journal of Social Sciences & Educational Studies
ISSN 2520-0968 (Online), ISSN 2409-1294 (Print), March 2020, Vol.7, No.1