THE PRACTICE OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL GOVERNANCE፡THE CASE OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN CENTRAL ZONE OF TIGRAY REGIONAL STATE

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the practice of community participation in school governance-in case of secondary schools in Central Zone of Tigray Regional State. Descriptive survey design was applied using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A total of 217 participants were computed using Abera, (2013) principle and were taken with a combination of purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Pretested Data were gathered using Questionnaire and interview and was analyzed using percentage and mean calculated through SPSS using likert scales. The finding of the current study highlights that the participation of community representatives in instructional programs was not encouraging. However, the community participation was challenged by number of factors like Poor economic background of community representatives; lack of skill, knowledge and poor understanding of their roles and responsibilities of community representatives and negative attitude of the principals towards participation of community, lack of well-developed school rules, regulation, norms and no appropriate strategy for the school to encourage and provide community services, information about school management, Low teacher commitment. Therefore, the school principals of the study area must developed basic ground school rules, regulation and appropriate strategy that leads school communities’ to participate in their school management.