ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CLUSTER RESOURCE CENTERS IN IMPROVING THE TEACHING - LEARNING PROCESS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF BURJI SPECAIL WOREDA SNNPR

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of cluster resource centre in improving the teaching learning process of secondary schools in Burji special woreda. In order to attain the objectives of the study, a sequential explanatory design was employed. The study was conducted in 4 secondary schools cluster of the selected special wareda. Then from each school and respective woreda teachers were selected by using stratified sampling technique whereas, secondary school supervisors and WEO head were selected on the purposive basis of decisive position they assume pertaining to the issue. School principals were selected by purposive sampling techniques. For this study, Questionnaire was used as the main instrument of data collection from teachers and school leaders’. Accordingly, 120 copies were distributed out of which 80 from teachers and 40 from school leaders were properly filled and returned. The data obtained from questionnaires were analysed using statistical tools such as frequency count, percentages, weighted mean score and t- test values. On the other hand, the data obtained through Interview and Observation checklist were analysed qualitatively to substantiate the result of quantitative analysis. The findings of the study showed that the CRCs are under-resourced. Resource centres have inadequate resources to be used by teachers, reference books, duplicating machine, computer , training manuals, science equipment and instructional materials, problems in sharing resources due to shortage of necessary resources in the CRCs, difficulties in transportation, poor co-ordination among cluster members, absence of guidelines and fear losing scarce resourced centre schools, Roles and responsibilities of principals teachers and supervisors were not defined in CRCs, lack of communication between the CRCs and school and teachers do not like to go to CRCs, trainings often does not take in to account local needs and teaching conditions of school . Hence, from the result of study, it was concluded that First, CRCs are physically poor resource centres which have inadequate resources to be useful by teachers, Second, regarding utilization of available resources and teacher support services in CRCs, they were under-utilized which means resource sharing, experience sharing and in-service training are not fully implemented. The study has also recommended that the REB is better to provides adequate funding for CRC activities, provide and guidelines for clusters to utilize available resources fairly in CRCs and also define the roles and responsibilities of principals, supervisors, Formal follow up and support by WEO advised to be carried out to justify and monitor the application of the guidelines and fair utilization of available resources in CRCs. Cluster coordinating committees should identify specific training needs based on feedback from teachers in the cluster. Each CRC is required to formulate a threeyear improvement plan and CRC coordinator should discuss available resources by CRCs at the beginning of the year and incorporate resource sharing in to a formal, mutually agreed, annual plan. Finally, woreda office head WEO and REB should determine the maximum distance between schools depending on the geographical distribution of schools, road networks and not more than one-hour walk.