The implementation of the improvement programme in public primary schools of Oromia towns surrounding Finfine, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine and describe the implementation of the School Improvement Programme in Public Primary Schools of Oromia Regional State Towns Surrounding Finfine, Ethiopia. The research was conducted using the constructivist paradigm view with the qualitative research approach. Among different types of qualitative research, design phenomenology was used to address the problem of the implementation of the improvement programme in public primary schools of Oromia National Regional State Towns Surrounding Finfine, Ethiopia. The participants of the study were selected purposefully. Accordingly, Regional State Education Bureau, three Towns Education Offices, three CRC and six schools were selected. From these institutions, one team leader from Oromia Education Bureau, three team leaders of the school improvement team from each Town Education Office, three CRC Supervisors from CRC, six principals, six PTA chairpersons and seven teachers from each sample school were selected. The data were collected from these participants using interviews, focus group discussion, observation and review documents. The data collected was categorised into themes and analysed accordingly. The finding of the study reveals that a limited number of strategies; planning, monitoring and evaluation and training were used to implement school improvement though there are many strategies in the literature and MoE guidelines. The finding of the study concerning the participation of the community in general and school community in particular in planning school improvement is not as it is expected. The school leadership and management team prepared it with no/ or limited participation of these bodies and the awareness made to the school community is not sufficient. The Finding of the study also indicated that no principal of the school uses instructional leadership. Some school principals had no know-how about leadership approaches to lead schools as they are graduating in one particular subject of teaching. Even though, the contribution of CPD is great for good implementation of school improvement it is not implemented as it is to be implemented. The awareness different parties have on CPD is different. The training and experience sharing on the implementation of CPD are very low as it is challenged by different problems among which teachers’ resistance, lack of resources, overburden of teachers and lack of incentives. In addition, the implementation of Action Research is also challenged by lack of skill and knowledge, interest and work overload and lack of support from leadership at a different level of the hierarchy of the education system of the regional state. As it can be understood from the findings of the study, Active learning methods were used in classroom instruction. However, most of the time Teachers use the lecture method to save their time and believe that the learners can understand the lesson if the teacher lecture, than the learners work by themselves. The finding of the study also indicated that teachers do not produce supplementary material for reference. The community participation in general and participation of parents, in particular, is not sufficient as it is expected. The school environment is not conducive to implementing school improvement and there is also a lack of facilities to implement school improvement. The finding of the study in regards to school’s income revealed that the income generated by the school is not sufficient to supplement the government budget for the good implementation of school improvement. As the finding of the study revealed the stakeholders viewed that the implementation of the school improvement is not effective because of different challenges. These are shortage of human resources, lack of training, non-participation in planning, lack of commitment of leadership and teachers and limited monitoring and evaluation are among the challenges that hinder the effective implementation of school improvement. Based on the findings of the study recommendations were forwarded. These Recommendations are: using diversifying strategies, using a participatory approach in the planning process, revising the criteria for the selection of school principals, providing capacity building to the role players of school improvement based on their role and responsibility in the implementation of school improvement, strengthening the structure of the CRC, strengthen school pedagogical centre, rethink the implementation of CPD, creating the opportunity to teachers to conduct Action Research, strengthening the mechanism of monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of school improvement, strengthening the community participation, creating a conducive learning environment and fulfil educational facilities. finally, the whole school Approach Model together with TQM was proposed for the implementation of school improvement.