THE PRACTICE AND CHALLENGES IN LEADING TEACHERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF DAWA ZONE, SOMALI REGIONAL STATE, ETHIOPIA

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.