The role of school improvement programme in increasing school effectiveness in Secondary Schools in Sidama Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate how school leaders manage the implementation of the school improvement program to enhance school effectiveness in secondary schools in the Sidama region of Ethiopia. A descriptive survey research design was employed for this investigation. The participants included 773 teachers, 150 principals, 50 heads of Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs), 10 school improvement program (SIP) coordinators, and 17 supervisors, who were selected using stratified and random sampling techniques. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentiles, means, and standard deviations were utilized for data analysis. To examine the relationships between the ranks of different groups or categories of respondents, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was applied. The findings revealed that school management and leadership capabilities are lacking, indicating a need for significant attention to be directed towards improving school improvement programs. Major challenges identified in the implementation of the school improvement program in secondary schools (grades 9-12) included: lack of collaboration among stakeholders, insufficient capacity-building training, inefficient administrative services, limited commitment from school leadership and governing bodies, poor leadership and management within schools, and passive involvement from parents and communities. Based on these findings, it is recommended that school principals, teachers, administrative staff, students, parents, and local school communities be well-informed about the school improvement program. Additionally, the application of the Bore Transformational Leadership Model (BTLM) is suggested as a framework to drive school improvement initiatives.