Practices, Challenges, and prospects of Implementing School-Based Management (SBM) System in Ethiopian Schools: Implications for Policy Makers

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the level of practice, challenges, and prospects of SBM in Ethiopian schools. This study used a holistic multiple-case study. In addition to document review, the researcher collected data via an interview with maximum diversity sampling from eight participants. As findings, implementing SBM in Amhara regional stated, Ethiopia was poor. The significant challenges identified were: the low administrative capacity of crucial members of the SBMs, uncertainty, overload, lack of cooperation from the school managers, and teachers' misconception of the role of the SBM. To improve school management at the school level, Ethiopian schools should take the following prospects into account: Commissioned a steering committee, make a pilot project to allow some schools to have greater control over their budgets, give legal authority to schools to define themselves, increase the direct relationship between district education bureaus and regional educational bureaus, provide in-service training and so forth. The government should formulate operational policy guidelines to create an enabling environment for the SBMs.