Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to assess the current practices of the utilization of the supervisory
feedback in government secondary schools of Jimma Zone. To conduct this study, descriptive
survey design and mixed research method was employed. The data sources used for this study
were both primary and secondary sources. To this end, the primary sources were teachers,
department heads, Woreda Education supervision coordinators, supervisors and principals.
Whereas, written supervision minutes, supervisory annual plans and reports were used as
secondary sources. The participants of this study were 90 out of 363 teachers and 77 out of 120
department heads were selected by cluster sampling, stratified proportional sampling and lottery
methods. Moreover, 8 Woreda Education supervision coordinators, 8 supervisors and 8
principals were selected by purposive sampling method. The data were collected by using
questionnaire, interview and document reviews. To ensure the quality of the tools in this study, a
pilot test was conducted to check the validity and reliability of the instruments prior to the actual
data collection. Finally, minor modifications were made on the instruments and make it ready
for the final data collection. Accordingly, the quantitative data collected through questionnaire
was analyzed by using computer program SPSS version 23 and presented in frequency,
percentage, mean, standard deviation and Independent sample T-test. The data collected through
interview and document review were analyzed qualitatively by narration in line with quantitative
data to substantiate the data gathered through questionnaires. Finally, the research came up
with following major findings: the current practices of the provision of supervisory feedbacks
were focus on more of administrative issues; supervisory feedbacks were not properly
implemented by secondary school principals and teachers; teachers perceive supervisory
feedbacks as ineffective feedbacks and secondary school supervisors were not properly follow up
the implementation of supervisory feedbacks. On the other hand, among the major challenges
that hinder the implementation of supervisory feedbacks were: REB, ZED & Woreda Education
office give less attention in providing continuous technical support and monitoring the
implementation of supervisory feedbacks at school level, lack of school principals leadership
experience, competency and commitment; lack of trust and openness between secondary school
teachers and supervisors; teachers perceive supervisory service feedbacks negatively as fault
finder rather than as supportive and developmental services; supervisors lack good supervisory
knowledge, skills, ability and commitment ; lack of sufficient input supply such as human,
financial and material resources. Based on the finding of the study, it was concluded that,
supervisory feedbacks were not properly utilized in secondary schools of Jimma Zone. Finally, to
minimize and to solve the problems, the following recommendation were drawn; REB, ZED and
Woreda Education office collaboratively should give more attention for the provision of
supervisory services and feedback utilization practices; REB and ZED should better to give
relevant in service training for supervisors, principals and teachers to upgrade their supervisory
understandings and allocating adequate financial, human and material resources for secondary
schools for the success of supervisory services were suggested.