Abstract:
This study assessed the practices and challenges of leading teacher professional development in
secondary schools in Dawa Zone, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia. It focused on three key
questions and adopted a descriptive survey design, integrating both quantitative and qualitative
methods for a comprehensive analysis. The sample comprised 117 participants from a population
of 174, using purposive, stratified, and simple random sampling techniques. Participants included
88 teachers, 4 principals, 17 continuous professional development facilitators, 4 vice principals, 3
woreda supervisory experts, and 1 zone expert. Data were collected through questionnaires, focus
group discussions, interviews, and document analyses. All 88 teachers completed the
questionnaire, with their closed-ended responses analyzed using percentages and mean scores,
while qualitative insights from interviews and open-ended questions were narrated descriptively.
Findings indicated that teachers’ engagement in professional development activities, such as
mentoring and conducting action research, was inadequate, and that principals and supervisory
personnel offered insufficient support. Major challenges identified included a lack of training
manuals, irrelevant training materials, limited trained facilitators, low support for professional
growth, inadequate budgets, and school systems not meeting teachers' needs. To address these
issues, the study recommended that teachers utilize school-based continuous professional
development opportunities and that education officials, principals, and senior teachers actively
support teachers by fostering an environment conducive to skill development.
