THE CONTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL CLUSTERING PROGRAM FOR

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF BIOLOGY TEACHERS:

THE CASE OF SOME PRIMARY SCHOOLS, SOUTH WOLLO
ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE (ETHIOPIA)

M. Ed. THESIS

MOHAMMED YIMAM FELEKE

May 2008
Haramaya University

Mohammed, email: mohammmedd@gmail.com, Ethiopia

THE CONTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL CLUSTERING PROGRAM FOR
THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF BIOLOGY TEACHERS:
THE CASE OF SOME PRIMARY SCHOOLS, SOUTH WOLLO
ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the

Department of Biology, School of Graduate Studies
HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

MASTER OF EDUCATION IN BIOLOGY

By
Mohammed Yimam Feleke

May 2008
Haramaya University

Mohammed, email: mohammmedd@gmail.com, Ethiopia

 SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY

As member of the Examining Board of the final M.Ed. open defense, we certify that we have
read and evaluated this thesis prepared by MOHAMMED YIMAM entitled: THE
CONTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL CLUSTERING PROGRAM FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT OF BIOLOGY TEACHERS: THE CASE OF SOME PRIMARY
SCHOOLS, SOUTH WOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE and recommended that it be
accepted as fulfilling the thesis requirement for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION
IN BIOLOGY.

__________________________ ____________________ ___________________

Name of Chairperson Signature Date

____________________ ___________________ ___________________

Name of Major Advisor Signature Date

______________________ ___________________ ___________________

Name of Co-advisor Signature Date

__________________________ ____________________ ___________________

Name of Internal Examiner Signature Date

__________________________ ____________________ ___________________

Name of External Examiner Signature Date

Final approval and acceptance of the thesis is contingent upon the submission of the final
copy of the thesis to the Council of Graduate Studies (CGS) through the Departmental
Graduate Committee (DGC) of the candidate’s major department.

I hereby certify that I have read this thesis prepared under my direction and recommended
that it be accepted as fulfilling the thesis requirement.

___________________________ ____________________ __________________

Name of Major Thesis Advisor Signature Date

ii
 DEDICATION

I dedicate this thesis manuscript to my father YIMAM FELEKE, my mother ASEYA

ENDRIS and MY FAMILY for nursing me with affection and love and for their dedicated
partnership in the success of my life.

iii
 STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR
First, I declare that this thesis is my bona fide work and that all sources of materials used for
this thesis have been duly acknowledged. This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for M. Ed. degree at the Haramaya University and is deposited at the
University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the library. I solemnly
declare that this thesis is not submitted to any other institution anywhere for the award of any
academic degree, diploma, or certificate.

Brief quotations from this thesis are allowed without special permission provided that
accurate acknowledgement of sources is made. Requests for permission for extended
quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the
Dean of School of Graduate Studies or the Head of the Biology Department when in his/ her
judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interest of scholarship. In all other
instances, permission must be obtained from the author.

Name of the author: MOHAMMED YIMAM Signature_____________

Place: HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY, HARAMAYA
Date of Submission: May 2008

iv
 ABBREVIATIONS USED

ABECs Alternative Basic Education Centers

AED/BESO Academy for Educational Development/ Basic Education Strategic
Objective (U.S. Aid Organization)
AREB Amhara Regional Education Bureau
BSTs Biological Science Teachers (of Second Cycle Primary Schools)
CPD Continuous Professional Development (In-service Training
Program)
CRC(s) Cluster Resource Center(s)
CTE College of Teacher Education
DCTE Dessie College of Teacher Education
EFA Education-For-All (The Millennium Goal)
MOE Ministry Of Education (Ethiopia)
MOEYS Ministry Of Education, Youth and Sport (of Cambodia)
NGO Non Governmental Organization
PD Professional Development
REB Regional Education Bureau
SCP School Clustering Program
TEIs Teacher Education Institutions (Teacher Training Colleges in
Amhara Region)
TESO Teacher Education System Overhaul
TGE Transitional Government of Ethiopia
TPD Teacher Professional Development
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
USAID United States Agency for International Development
VSO Voluntary Service Overseas (None Governmental Organization)
WEO Woreda Education Office (of Amhara Region)

v
 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR

The author was born in February, 1970 at Yerema, Tenta Woreda, in South Wollo Zone of the
Amhara Region. He attended his primary schools at Yerema (1-6) and Fitto town (7-8), and
secondary education (9-12) at Adjibar town of Tenta Woreda. He joined Addis Ababa
University, Faculty of Science in 1985 and received B.Sc. degree in Biology (1989). Since
then he has served as high school teacher of biology at Motta, Fenote-Selam and Wereilu
Schools, Debre Birhan Teacher Training Institute and now, instructor of biology in Dessie
College of Teacher Education. To pursue further studies and increase his qualifications to
become a better teacher in service of his country, he joined the School of Graduate Studies at
Haramaya University in 2005.

vi
 ACKNOLEDGMENTS

The author is highly indebted to his advisors, Dr. Brook Lemma and Dr. Tesfahun Kebede as
without their guidance and professional expertise, the completion of this work would not
have been possible. His special appreciation goes to Mr. Wondeye Akalneh who had stood by
his side on matters pertinent to the thesis from the beginning up to the completion.

He would also like to extend his sincere thanks to his wife W/ro Fatuma Hussein, his
children, Reduan Mohammed and Nuralhuda Mohammed for their affection and
encouragement.

The author uses this opportunity to thank his co-workers, Mr. Aemero Tadesse, Mr. Ali
Yasin and Mr. Fekade Beshah, and as institutions, the Amhara Region Education Bureau and
Dessie College of Teacher Education for their moral, professional and material support. At
last, special thanks go to W/ro Yeshiwork Ali who thoroughly word processed this thesis.

vii
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF THE AUTHOR ..................................................................................... iv

ABBREVIATIONS USED ....................................................................................................... v
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR ......................................................... vi
ACKNOLEDGMENTS........................................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................... viii
LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................................... x
LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................................... xi
LIST OF TABLES IN THE APPENDIX ......................................................................... xii
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. xiii
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Background of the Study ..................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Objectives of the Study ........................................................................................................ 7
1.4 Scope of the Study ................................................................................................................ 7
1.5 Limitations of the Study ...................................................................................................... 8
1.6 Significance of the Study ..................................................................................................... 8
1.7 Operational Definitions of Important Terms Used in the Research ............................. 10
2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ....................................................................................... 11
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 11
2.1.1 School Cluster: Concepts and Organizations ......................................................... 11
2.1.2 Objectives of School Clustering Program ............................................................... 13
2.1.3 Purposes of School Clustering Program ................................................................. 14
2.1.4. Types of Organizational Models of School Cluster ................................................ 16
2.1.5. The Cluster Resource Center (CRC) and Its Role in Clustering.......................... 18
2.2 Benefits and Functions of School Clusters ....................................................................... 20
2.2.1 Improving the Quality of Teaching and Learning ................................................. 20
2.2.2 Management Application ......................................................................................... 22
2.2.3 Efficient Resource Sharing and Communications ................................................. 23
2.2.4 Community Involvement .......................................................................................... 25
2.2.5 Planning and Frameworks to Other Programs ...................................................... 25
2.3 Duties and Responsibilities of the Different Echelon Working on Cluster in the
Education System ............................................................................................................... 26
2.4 Improving School Clustering Programs .......................................................................... 28
2.5 School Clustering and Teacher Professional Development ............................................ 30
2.6 Science and Teachers’ Professional Development .......................................................... 37
2.7 Challenges Facing School Clustering Program ............................................................... 41

viii
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 43
3.1The Research Methods ...................................................................................................... 43
3.2The Research Sites ............................................................................................................. 43
3.3Participants and Sampling Procedure ............................................................................. 44
3.4Instruments of Data Collection ......................................................................................... 46
3.5Methods of Data Analysis .................................................................................................. 47
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................................... 48
4.1 The Perception of Participants about the Relevance of SCP ......................................... 48
4.1.1 Awareness of BSTs on the Use of SCP to their Professional Development ......... 48
4.1.2 Perception of BSTs about the Use of School Clustering Program for their
PD ............................................................................................................................... 50
4.1.3 The Awareness of Supervisors and Directors about the Relevance of SCP
for the Professional Development of BSTs.............................................................. 53
4.2 The Extent of SCP that Helps BSTs in Developing their Profession ............................. 55
4.3 Perception Difference Between Urban and Rural BSTs, and Among BSTs with
Different Years of Teaching Experience about the Benefits of SCP for their PD ........ 60
4.3.1 Perception Differences Between Urban and Rural Woreda BSTs ........................ 60
4.3.2 Perception Difference Among BSTs of Different Years of Teaching
Experience About the Benefits of SCP .................................................................... 62
4.4 Conditions Facilitating the Role of SCP for the PD of BSTs ........................................ 64
4.5 Obstacles Hindering BSTs from Utilizing the Benefits of SCP..................................... 68
4.5.1 Problems Facing BSTs in the Urban Woredas ........................................................ 68
4.5.2 Problems Facing Teachers in the Rural Woredas .................................................. 70
5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ........................... 74
5.1 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 74
5.2 Conclusion........................................................................................................................... 77
5.3 Recommendations .............................................................................................................. 78
6. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 82
7. APPENDICES .................................................................................................................... 87
Appendix I................................................................................................................................. 88
Appendix II ............................................................................................................................. 102
Appendix III ........................................................................................................................... 105
Appendix IV............................................................................................................................ 107

ix
 LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
1. Shifting the balance in professional learning ...................................................................... 35
2. The previous and present approaches of teacher learning.................................................. 36
3. Focus of PD of science teachers ............................................................................................. 40
4. Total BSTs of the four Woredas in years of teaching experience and participation . ..... 45
5. Participants other than BSTs . ............................................................................................. 45
6. Response on the awareness of BSTs on the contribution of SCP for their
professional development ..................................................................................................... 48
7. Perception of BSTs about the relevance of SCP ................................................................... 51
8. Supervisors and directors awareness on the importance of SCP for PD of BSTs ............ 54
9. The Extent of SCP that helps PD of BSTs ........................................................................... 55
10. The perception difference between urban and rural Woreda BSTs about SCP.............. 61
11. Perception difference among BSTs of different years of teaching experience about
the benefits of SCP to their PD ............................................................................................ 62
12. Suggested solutions that enhance the use of SCP for effective PD of teachers ................ 64
13. Problems hindering BSTs in utilizing the benefits of SCP as prioritized by urban
Woreda teachers .................................................................................................................... 69
14. Obstacles hindering BSTs in utilizing SCP benefits as prioritized by rural Woreda
teachers .................................................................................................................................. 70

x
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page
1. Purposes of cluster schools .................................................................................................... 15
2. Hierarchical or vertical structure of cluster school model ................................................. 16
3. Horizontal structure of cluster school model ....................................................................... 17
4. Hybrid structure of cluster school ........................................................................................ 17
5. Organizational model of cluster school in Amhara Region ................................................ 18
6. Location of South Wollo Zone in Amhara Region of Ethiopia ............................................ 43
7. Location of sample Woredas in South Wollo Administrative Zone .................................... 44

xi
 LIST OF TABLES IN THE APPENDIX

Appendix Table Page

1. Raw data which were used to calculate the perception difference among BSTs
teaching in urban and rural Woredas about SCP ........................................................... 107
2. Raw data from the four Woredas which were used to calculate the perception
difference among teachers of different years of teaching experience ............................ 109

xii
 THE CONTRIBUTION OF SCHOOL CLUSTERING PROGRAM FOR
THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF BIOLOGY TEACHERS:
THE CASE OF SOME PRIMARY SCHOOLS, SOUTH WOLLO
ADMINISTRATIVE ZONE

ABSTRACT

The study was to assess, identify and report the significance of school clustering program for
the professional development of second cycle primary schools of biological science teachers,
the challenges facing and the conditions facilitating the program. The subjects involved in
the study were all biological science teachers teaching biological science in Grades 7 and 8
of second cycle primary schools, supervisors and school directors, and WEO inspectors of
Dessie, Kombolcha, Tenta and Wereilu Woredas. AREB officials, and cluster coordinators
and instructors of natural science departments of Dessie CTE were also involved. The
necessary data for the study were collected through questionnaires, interviews, focus group
discussions and observations. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were
employed to analyze the data collected through the different data collection instruments. It
was learned from the study that most of the respondents were aware of the significance of
school clustering program for the professional development of biological science teachers.
The overall extent of school clustering program in helping biological science teachers’
professional development was below average. There was significant difference in perceptions
between teachers teaching in rural and urban Woredas, and among teachers of different
years of teaching experiences about SCP. Lack of support from Woreda education offices and
supervisors, inadequate budget for running school cluster program, absence of science kits,
laboratories and library, unsustainable trainings and unwillingness of schools to share
human and material resources were some of the problems which impeded the success of the
program both in urban and rural Woredas. Therefore, all concerned bodies (teachers, school
directors, supervisors, WEO and AREB officials, NGOs and the community) should take part
to supplement in creating favorable conditions for the proper applications of school
clustering program in order to achieve its intended goals and bring about changes in the
quality of education.

xiii
 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In countries striving to guarantee all children the right to education, the focus on access to
education often over shadows attention to quality. Quality determines how much and how
well children learn, and the extent to which their education translates into a range of
personal, social and cognitive developmental benefits (UNESCO, 2004a). Through
quality education, students can acquire the basic skills of communication, the ways of
applying number and information technology, as well as skills of working with others,
problem solving and improving their own learning. These skills are the key to the
foundation of life-long learning (Thomas, 2001). To achieve the needed quality in
education and make students use the acquired knowledge for life, teachers should share
professional knowledge in the form of school clustering system.

School clustering has a long history stretching as far back as the early 1950s in Thailand,
where it was implemented as a pilot project. In Latin America, clusters were called
‘nucleos’. Besides, when many countries were facing scarcity of budget due to high
enrollment of students in the 1970s and 1980s, clustering of schools was applied as a
means of solving the problem. In these days, it is used in many countries as in Cambodia,
Laos, and Albania and in many African countries (Bredenberg and Dahal, 2000).

Learning can be strengthened by working together and engaging oneself on a continuous

and stepwise process of exposure and self-discovery of new materials. As indicated in the
World Book of Encyclopedia (2001), knowledge to be truly scientific, it must be
repeatedly tested experimentally, and found to be reproducible. Moreover, scientific
knowledge spreads quickly when people exchange new ideas and scientists improve their
hypothesis based on the advice of other experts. In schools, these can be possible if
teachers can share ideas in different forms. One form of sharing ideas among teachers is
in school clustering scenarios and systems.

Learning by doing and from practical experiences is the most preferred way of learning
science that makes use of all human senses and is the most recommended way of training
when it comes to the development of teachers who will shape young generations for
society. Besides, as suggested by Osborne (2000), such type of scientific learning

Mohammed, email: mohammmedd@gmail.com, Ethiopia

develops a scientific attitude, a rational mode of thought, a practical problem-solving
ability and could be considered as unique to science and develop the individuals ability to
cope up with challenges of every day life. According to Tairab (2001) the development of
an adequate understanding of science and its continuous development has always served
as a tool to serve society and develop it further so that it can solve the intricate
contemporary problems of this constantly changing world.

The realization of the desired outcome of science teaching and the applicability of science
to society can be facilitated if teachers of science education have well developed
pedagogical skills. For effective development of pedagogy, teachers need to develop
understanding that science education in general, and biological science in particular as a
process- oriented human activity (NAS, 2005). But, contrary to this, as identified in
Bekalo and Welford (2000) there is an assumption among Ethiopian science educators
that practical work in science means only laboratory work involving sophisticated and
imported expensive apparatuses. Working with locally available materials out side the
laboratory is not considered as practical work and this practice is perceived as low status
and primitive activities. This may be for the reason that Ethiopian science teachers lack
the necessary professional up grading system on a continuous basis.

The Ethiopian Education and Training Policy (TGE, 1994) clearly stated that Ethiopian
education is entangled with complex problems of relevance, quality, accessibility and
equity. In order to minimize the quality problem of education, the professional
development of teachers is geared to focus on continuous education and training,
developing professional ethics and teaching performance as a means of educational
quality improvement strategy in Ethiopia. This intention is actualized partly by school
clustering program (SCP).

In stating the importance of continuous professional development of teachers, the

Education and Training Policy of Ethiopia which was developed by the Transitional
Government of Ethiopia (TGE, 1994) added that teachers’ professional career structure
will be developed in respect to continuous education and training, professional ethics and
teaching performance as well as the application of practical work. In relation to this,
school clustering can contribute a lot in developing biological science teachers’
professional knowledge, ethics, and skills that could be applicable in their daily activities.

2
School cluster is one of the initiatives supported by UNICEF in Ethiopia to address the
problems of professional development of teachers and promotion of girls’ education. SCP
involves the establishment of school clusters or grouping of 4-6 primary schools with a
complete primary school (1-8) serving as a defined “catchment area” or center for the
other schools (Ayalew Shibeshi , 2004).

Thus, cluster school organization is a principal mode of delivering continuing

professional development for teachers. The Ministry of Education of Ethiopia has
developed a cluster guideline documents to the application of primary school clustering
program (MOE, 2001; Tsegaye Nigusie, 2005). Documents tried also to show the linkage
of cluster school to teacher education institutions (TEIs) for support and periodic
supervisions (AED/BESO, 1996 E.C.; AREB, 1997 E.C). These documents are stating
that school clustering program can improve the quality of education in primary schools.
The program presupposes that it minimizes training costs, provides opportunities to
establish centers for school-based integrated staff training schemes and initiates
development for in-built or in-school supervision in feasible and sustainable ways.

Teachers were working for years on their own with little professional contact with other
colleagues teaching the same grades and subjects. Besides, in pre-service training
programs, trainees shared experiences of the scenarios they themselves underwent in the
past. As time progressed, new experiences and ideas appeared that needed to be
incorporated into the existing knowledge of teachers by way of in-service programs.
These ideas can be shared by continuous and regular professional contacts among
teachers, where school clustering has become the ideal opportunity for continued
experience sharing and further development of the learning-teaching process. It is with
this understanding and more so SCP is working throughout Ethiopia for the realization of
various objectives and enhancing contextualized professional development of teachers.

In line with this, the Amhara Regional Education Bureau (AREB) clustered primary
schools since 1992 E.C. (AED/BESO, 2005), taking it as one of its strategy to attain
educational quality improvement. Today, schools in the Region share experiences, and
pool together and use their scarce human and material resources by organizing and
planning trainings among schools. In the Amhara Region, there are 4056 primary schools
excluding alternative basic education centers (ABECs). According to AREB Planning and

3
Programming Office, all of these schools are clustered into 904 cluster centers and one
trained supervisor is assigned in a cluster resource center (CRC) to assist and administer
the activities of member schools.

South Wollo Administrative Zone is one of the eleven zones of the Region. There are
eighteen Woredas including Dessie and Kombolcha urban administrative Woredas.
According to AREB, from the total of 4056 primary schools of the Amhara Region, 650
schools, and out of 904 centers 149 cluster centers are found in this zone. The assigned
supervisor in the cluster center coordinates the member schools. The supervisors assess
training needs, organize experience sharing mechanisms, motivate competition and
administer common properties/resources of the cluster member schools. In addition, the
supervisors link the CRC with WEO and college cluster coordinators and outreach tutors
of nearby teacher education institutions (Dessie CTE, in case of South Wollo Zone).

Dessie and Kombolcha are the only urban administrative Woredas of South Wollo Zone.
The teaching staff members in these Woredas are highly assisted by the VSO volunteers,
outreach tutors and instructors, particularly the department of natural science (of Dessie
CTE) for science teachers in addition to their WEO and BESO/USAID project.

Wereilu and Tenta Woredas are two of the sixteen rural Administrative Woredas of the
zone. The natural science teachers of Dessie College of Teacher Education and the cluster
coordinators in the college are not that much assisting these Woredas teachers as they do
frequently for Dessie and Kombolcha science teachers due to long distance problem.

The implementation of the program, whether it is in urban or rural areas, is supposed to be

advantageous for teachers, although, the effectiveness of the clustering system might be
pronounced in town Woredas. In line with this, BSTs might be benefited from the
program in developing their professions. But, here, one may raise many questions as to
the role of school clustering in developing teachers’ profession:
 To what extent does school clustering benefit teachers to develop their profession?
 Is it cost effective?
 Is it helping teachers in improving both subject area knowledge of biological
science contents and pedagogical skills or focused in one of these? etc.

4
Hence, conducting a study on school clustering program to get answers for such and
similar questions was found to be essential. Thus, it was with the purpose of assessing and
confirming the contribution of school clustering program particularly for professional
development of biological science teachers, and of seeing if there was a significant
difference between the two situations (rural and urban) and with different years of
teaching experiences in the selected Woredas of South Wollo Zone that this study was
conducted under the title ‘‘The Contribution of School Clustering Program for the
Professional Development of Biology Teachers: The Case of Some Primary Schools,
South Wollo Administrative Zone’’.

Thus, the researcher was conducting the study with the hope that it might give some
insight into the contributions and overall situation of school clustering system in South
Wollo Zone of the Amhara Region.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The objectives of school clustering can be seen from different perspectives. As stated in
different documents, the general objectives of SCP are summarized as follows:
 Pedagogical objectives - to promote continuous professional development of
teachers, curriculum localization and enhance supervision services.
 Economical objectives - to share the human and material resources.
 Socio-political objectives - to achieve EFA goals, increase community
participation, and incorporate special needs education.
 Administrative objectives - to manage schools, monitor services, adjust
distribution of teachers to lacking schools and facilitate fast information
exchange with WEO (MOEYS, 2000; MOE, 2001; Rebecca et al., 2003;
Ayalew Shibeshi, 2004 and AREB, 1997 E.C).
As shown above school clustering in the Amhara Region has targeted at least four major
goals. One of the major goals of the clustering program is to bring a sustained and
continued professional development of teachers in in-service programs, which happens to
be the one that is investigated in this study.

The major problems of school clustering have eventually emerged out of the objectives
set for the same. Understanding these objectives helps readers to appreciate the problems

5
currently school clustering programs are faced with and the central issues this research
sets out to answer.

The AREB (1997 E.C) cluster guide document has been prepared to achieve these cluster
objectives. This guide has stated the duties and responsibilities of the head teachers,
supervisors, school directors, Woreda and regional education officials, the CRCs, the
college supervisors and instructors. However, duties and effectiveness of these
responsible bodies supporting the program were not assessed so far. Though, the program
is in its youngest age in Ethiopia, the Amhara Regional Education Bureau implemented
the program in a large scale. The education sector consultative meetings of the region
held in Debre Markos in 1998 E.C academic year indicated that the SCP was not
effective. In line with the progress of the program, problems were reported in attaining of
the intended objectives that need further investigations. The support system must also be
assessed whether it was addressing the special demands of subject teachers in general and
BSTs in particular. The program had also an impact on the professional and career
development of teachers including primary schools of second cycle BSTs.

Hence, the study tried to assess the contributions of SCP in the professional development
of BSTs, focusing on the Primary Schools of Second Cycle BSTs. To this end, the study
was intended to answer the following leading questions.

 How do second cycle primary schools biological science teachers, school directors
and supervisors perceive the importance of school clustering program for the
professional development of teachers?
 To what extent does school clustering help biological science teachers to develop
their profession?
 Is there any significant difference of perception between biological science
teachers in the rural and urban Woredas, and among BSTs with different years of
teaching experience?
 What are the conditions of school clustering program that facilitate professional
development of biological science teachers?
 What are the obstacles that hinder biological science teachers from utilizing
school clustering system for their professional development?

6
1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study was to assess, identify and report on the significance and
challenges of school clustering on professional development of BSTs of second cycle
primary schools and the conditions facilitating the program. More specifically, the
objectives of the study were to:

 Disclose the awareness and perceptions of biological science teachers, school

directors and supervisors about the relevance of school clustering program to
biological science teaching.
 Show to what extent school clustering helps in the professional development of
biological science teachers.
 Examine the difference, if any, in perception between urban and rural BSTs and
among teachers of biological science with different years of teaching experience
about the importance of school clustering in professional development.
 Identify the conditions facilitating the professional development of biological
science teachers in relation to school clustering program.
 Investigate the challenges that BSTs encounter in exercising the clustering
program.
 Recommend possible solutions for the problems identified in using school
clustering for professional development of BSTs.

1.4 Scope of the Study

School clustering program in the Amhara Region is taken as a strategy of capacity

building system of primary school teachers to improve the quality of education. This
research endeavored to assess the input of clustering in the professional development of
BSTs in 1999 E.C. academic year. The study focused on the second cycle primary schools
clustered under the catchment areas of Dessie College of Teacher Education, where the
researcher is working. More particularly, the study was focused on Dessie and Kombolcha
Town Administrative Woredas and Tenta and Wereilu Rural Administrative Woredas of
second cycle primary schools of South Wollo Administrative Zone of the Amhara
National Regional State.

The study was limited to all the second cycles’ primary school biological science teachers

7
of teaching in Grades 7 and 8, supervisors, head teachers of these schools in the four
Woredas, and instructors of Natural Science Department of Dessie CTE, college cluster
coordinators (volunteers and supervisors) in the college and the four Woredas education
office inspectors and Amhara Regional Education Bureau experts in the Department of
Human Resource Development. But, it did not involve teachers of other subjects for the
sake of manageability and due to the fact that the researcher’s field of specialization is
related to biological science. Moreover since the study was a survey type, it did not assess
casual effects of the relationships of different variables.

1.5 Limitations of the Study

The limitations of the study were very numerous. Some of the major ones are listed
bellow.
 Lack of sufficient experience: The absence of related research works done on the
issue in the field of school clustering program in Ethiopia was the most important
limiting factor of this research. It was difficult to find journals in libraries because
of very short experience (8-9 years only) as SCP in Ethiopia to be studied by
Ethiopian researchers. Thus, the researcher had to rely mainly on the study
materials and experience of foreign sources.
 The other limiting factor was large number of second cycle primary schools, on
average, around ten per Woreda and their locations are very far apart from each
other and transportation was difficult to travel from one school to the other.
Supervisors’ role was highly appreciated in this case.
 In each school, only two or three biological science teachers were found which
made it difficult to find sufficient sources of data especially in the two rural
Woredas.

1.6 Significance of the Study

One of the tasks of school cluster in the in-service program of teacher education was to
improve the quality of education by promoting continuous professional development
(CPD) through experience sharing programs. In connection to this, the study helps in
enhancing the school cluster system in various ways.

 It enhances the understanding of education officials (WEO and REB), supervisors,

school directors, college cluster coordinators, instructors and other stakeholders

8
 about the status of school cluster program and its particular relevance to the
quality of biological science education.
 It helps decision-makers and stakeholders to revise the school cluster programs,
and training packages in relation to the demands of biological science teachers.
 It motivates curriculum developers to revisit biological science contents in relation
to professional development of teachers through school clustering programs.
 It serves as a starting point by motivating other researchers to conduct deeper
investigations on school clustering programs.

9
1.7 Operational Definitions of Important Terms Used in the Research

Attitude:
It is the tendency of persons to respond favorably or unfavorably to an object,
person, institution or event or a task, in here, to the school clustering program.
Cluster Resource Center (CRC):
The CRC is the core or central school that serves as a training center,
coordinator of satellite schools and planning center.
Outreach tutors:
Cluster coordinators who were selected from primary school teachers and
assigned in Amhara teacher training colleges as college supervisor components.
Perception:
It is the opinion or understanding of respondents to the significance of school
clustering program for professional development of biological science teachers.
Professional Development:
Professional development is any activity that increases the skills, knowledge or
understanding of teachers, and their effectiveness in schools.
Rural Woredas:
These are administrational areas which have thirty to forty Kebeles and most
dwellers are farmers, in this case, Tenta and Woreilu Woredas.
Satellite schools:
Member primary schools of the school cluster.
School cluster:
It is a group of schools that are formed based on proximity and accessibility of
schools which can all deal one another easily about their professions.
Supervisor:
Trained teacher who is assigned in the school cluster center and supervising the
teaching-learning process and professional development of teachers in a cluster.
Teachers:
They are BSTs in the second cycle of primary schools of the study sites.
Urban Woredas:
These are town administrative Woredas which have Municipality administration
services and most dwellers are employees of government or private
organizations and/or trade unions (In this case, Dessie and Kombolcha towns).

10
 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Introduction

This section presents related literature which is important to the title under discussion.
Therefore, research results from domestic studies and from abroad are included together
with the appropriate citations of different educators/intellectuals.

2.1.1 School Cluster: Concepts and Organizations

Stagnating or still worse, declining quality of education has become an important issue in
developing countries that are expanding enrolments rapidly to meet the global objective
of “Education-for-All” by 2015, which is attempted while still contextual scenarios of the
countries are subject to severely limited human and material resources. At the same time
that education systems are overstretched, many countries are implementing reforms based
on constructivist, student-centered, and active learning classroom approaches that are
complicated to implement. These combined factors in many cases present challenges for
improving education quality (Barrow and Leu, 2006).

As the study of African Union Commission (2005) and Transitional Government of

Ethiopia (1994) in Amare Asgedom et al. (2006), Ethiopia has placed education at the
center of its strategies for development and democratization, with strong policies
promoting equity and quality of educational provision and rapid expansion of educational
opportunity to previously underserved populations. Access to primary education (Grades
1-8) for young Ethiopians has dramatically expanded in the last 15 years, with gross
enrolment rates (GER), 20 percent in the early 1990s to nearly 80 percent in 2004/2005.
Despite this achievement, expanding enrolments have contributed to stagnating or even
declining quality, especially because of over stretched resources. The government is
actively seeking strategies to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Thus, school-
based professional development strategy is already implemented as one means of
educational quality improvement and to share the scarce resources dispersed among
schools under school cluster systems.

Teacher quality is now seen as central to education quality as a whole. One of the ways to
improve teacher quality is by working with current teachers as well as with pre-service
education centers. School-based and cluster in-service teacher education works with

11
teachers where they are, allowing them to collaborate with their peers, practice in their
classrooms, and build a local resource network with each other (EQ Review, 2004:3). It
is possible to conclude from here that both over stretched resources and teacher quality
were the reasons for declining educational quality. Therefore, SCP has to be strengthened
as a means of resource sharing and professional development strategy.

In support of the above idea, Rebecca et al. (2003) elaborated that school cluster is a
grouping of schools that work together to share experiences, resources and training in
order to create opportunities for continual professional development necessary for
acquiring and retaining the teaching license. Most of the training and development should
come from the teachers themselves so that the project is sustainable and cost effective.
Most clusters are organized with one cluster center and a number of satellite schools
having different models depending on the regional and local needs.

In relation to its organization, a school cluster is a group of schools that are formed out of
near-by and accessible schools which can all deal with one another easily without
reference to the fact of going across to other geographic communes/sections. So, it is a
gathering of available resources involving school principals, teachers, community,
supplies, and facilities, etc to assist each another in increasing quantity as well as
improving education quality (MOEYS, 2000: 8; Dittmar et al., 2002:4). MOEYS
(2000:42) added to this in the same way as follows.

School clustering is a mechanism which makes schools progress;

so each school must improve its quality in a quick and practical
way; at least, it should make progress in both quantity and quality
every year. The schools have to assist each other to ensure that all
schools make progress simultaneously; especially the strong ones
have to assist the weak ones.

Dittmar et al. (2002:4) described the organization of school clusters as a system in which
each cluster consists of five to seven schools in which one school in each group is
selected to serve as the cluster center. The cluster center should be as much as possible
central and accessible to its satellite schools. It should also have the most adequate
facilities of the schools in the cluster and should be ideally situated at a development

12
center where other social and commercial services are available. The principal of the
cluster center must be a strong and committed manager, with a vision that can extend
beyond her or his school to the need of all schools and the community in the cluster.
Therefore, it has to set good examples for management and teaching practices. In Amhara
Region, in addition to the school principal, the supervisor plays the major role of
leadership in school clustering programs.

2.1.2 Objectives of School Clustering Program

The contribution of school cluster system is enormous especially for poorly organized
schools. As the study of Qvistk and Qmari (1996) in Getu Tadesse (2006:5) indicated that
the majority of teachers especially in primary education, neither received adequate
trainings nor were supported by appropriate opportunities to improve their teaching
methods in Africa. The school-based training, using school cluster model is also chosen in
Ethiopia to improve continuous professional development of teachers.

In emphasizing the necessity of the establishment of school clustering program, Shaeffer

(1992) in Getu Tadesse (2006:6) reported that the existence of rural schools each having
insufficient resources for effective management, the disparities between small remote
schools and larger schools in big towns, scarcity of educational supplies of equipment so
that individual schools can not be self-sufficient, under-trained principals and staff, and
the like, are conditions which led to the establishment of school clustering in many
countries in the world.

In addition to the above, many documents indicated that the main targets for the
establishment of primary school clustering programs are summarized as follows.
 To promote continuous professional development (CPD) of teachers.
 To enable teachers to localize the curriculum to include their environment (social,
economical and political situations).
 To encourage teachers to produce local teaching materials.
 To facilitate mentoring of teachers.
 To achieve goals of Education-for-All (EFA) by 2015.
 To share human and material resources between schools.

13
  To mobilize the community to participate together in education as they have the
tradition, sense of creating, protecting and developing it.
 To empower teachers and the community to take school-based decisions by
strengthening decentralized school management system.
 To develop experience sharing culture (MOEYS, 2000; MOE, 2001; Rebecca et
al., 2003; Ayalew Shibeshi, 2004; Tilahun Begashaw et al., 2004 and AREB,
1997 E.C).
These points in general, will bring about access and quality education if school clustering
programs are successfully implemented by adapting them to Ethiopian context.

2.1.3 Purposes of School Clustering Program

Collaboration among cluster schools result in enhancing the quality of teaching-learning

and management of each school. Such collaborations provide the opportunity of efficient
and effective mobilization, sharing and utilization of limited resources. Bray (1987) and
Shafer (1991) in Getu Tadesse (2006) added that a school having a qualified teacher in
science might help another school by initiating team teaching to improve science
teaching. As in Getu Tadesse (2006), Wheeler (1991) reported that the scope of the work
of the school cluster is dependent on the collaboration among schools through team
work, sharing management tasks in the area of construction and facilities, financial
matters, academic matters, personnel and student activities. These can be practiced in
school clustering system.

There are mainly two kinds of approaches that typify most cluster school initiatives
according to Bredenberg and Dahal (2000). One approach emphasizes using clusters as a
kind of delivery mechanism for quality improvement inputs or as an extended arm of the
district educational offices (WEO, in Amhara Region). The other focuses on cluster as a
means to facilitate interaction among schools. The level of interaction may include
teachers, school directors, and parents. In Amhara Region, the supervisor is responsible as
the main agent of schools interactions.

The government of Ethiopia adopted the school cluster approach as one of the national
strategies to improve access and quality of education at the primary level. The ESDP II
(2002) report in Ayalew Shibeshi (2004:2) stated that:

14
 School clusters will be established and strengthened so that school
based training system shall become a means for continuous
professional development of teachers and shall promote skills of
teachers for implementing continuous assessment; child centered
teaching approach, and better classroom management skills like
the self-contained classroom organization, etc.

In relation to the importance of school clustering, Arends (1994:439) added that schools
working as small groups or subsystems whose combined efforts are needed to make
schools effective as a whole. Dean (2001:3) reported also that different teachers have
different styles of working which provides variety in the school that can be valuable and
keeps the teaching dynamics in many classes. This provides varieties of opportunities for
children to learn if teachers are continually sharing their experience among themselves.

According to Rebecca et al. (2003), the purposes of school cluster have summarized in
the following major activities:

Curriculum Development
To contextualize curriculum

Research
Action research
Supervision Major
 Built in monitoring
activities in
 External support
school cluster

Training
 Needs based
Teaching resources  Professional
Producing and sharing teaching materials development
from locally available materials

Figure 1: Purposes of cluster schools (Rebecca et al., 2003:7)

15
2.1.4. Types of Organizational Models of School Cluster

There are various organizational models that may be used to provide professional
development for teachers either ongoing process or to address a particular need in the
teaching process. According to MOE (2001), one highly relevant arrangement for school-
based professional development is the cluster system for networking schools within a
defined geographical area. In this system, resources and expertise can be shared and
common interests more easily catered for.

The following different ways of clustering of schools are possible according to MOE
(2001) and AREB (1997 E.C.).

Model I - Hierarchical Model or Vertical Structure: In this model, the Cluster

Resource Center (CRC) is very much in charge of matters. Resources, administration,
coordination, selection and prioritization of program events run under the hands of the
CRC. The other schools in the cluster are regarded as satellites of the CRC.

According to Getu Tadesse (2006), the advantage of this model is that the cluster center is
usually better endowed with resources and experienced teachers and acts as a model or
monitor to the staff of the satellite schools and shares its resources. The CRC serves as a
training center and transfers messages and other resources to the satellite schools.
However, interaction is exclusively limited between the cluster and the satellite schools.

School

School School
Core
school
(CRC)

School
School

Figure 2: Hierarchical or vertical structure of cluster school model (AREB,

1997 E.C)

16
Model II - Horizontal Model: This model involves more delegations of authority, more
sharing of responsibilities and less centralized administration and management. It has
more networking and more opportunity for teachers in all of the schools to take initiatives
(MOE, 2001).

The disadvantage of this model according to Getu Tadesse (2006) is that some facilities,
resources and experienced personnel may be unavailable within the cluster and that
without a center; it may be difficult to coordinate schools for experience sharing.

School

School
School

School School

Figure 3: Horizontal Structure of Cluster School Model (AREB, 1997 E.C.)

Model III - Hybrid Model: This model is a hybrid of hierarchical and horizontal models.
The cluster resource center (CRC) serves as administration and organizational center
(Getu Taddese, 2006). It encourages interaction among satellite schools and between the
satellite schools and the resource center.

School

School School

CRC

School School

School

Figure 4: Hybrid structure of cluster school (AREB, 1997 E.C)

17
The organizational model of primary school clustering system in Amhara Regional State
is basically similar to MOE (2001) models. The difference is that it includes alternative
basic education centers (ABECs) which are assisted by the cluster supervisor and CRC as
shown below:

Satellite
School

Satellite ABEC Satellite

School School

ABEC
CRC
ABEC

ABEC
Satellite
Satellite School
School

Figure 5: Organizational model of cluster school in Amhara Region (AREB,

1997 E.C)

2.1.5. The Cluster Resource Center (CRC) and Its Role in Clustering

Every school has to provide good quality education to children in its geographic area.
Schools have to develop themselves to achieve their responsibilities. According to
MOEYS (2000), cluster school resource center is defined from its role that CRC is a
mechanism which helps the schools’ development to be undertaken efficiently and
effectively. The supervisor is the core person in the cluster resource center to take all the
responsibilities concerning school and teacher development in Amhara Region. The MOE
cluster guide document (MOE, 2001) stated also that the prime functions of the clusters
mainly concern in improving the performance of teachers.

18
The CRC is the core or central school (in geography and resources in both human and
material) that serves as a training center, coordinator of satellite schools, planning center,
monitoring and evaluation of the performance of cluster activities in all member schools.
The school director and the supervisor are important figures in a cluster school to achieve
the goals of clustering.

In support of the above idea and selecting of the core school (CRC), the following criteria
must be considered. The core school should:
 Be located at a place where it is easy to access for all the schools.
 Have enough space that additional building or rooms can be constructed.
 Have strong community participation.
 Have good management and experienced teachers.
 Have rooms which can be used as the resource center.
 Have good education indicators (MOEYS, 2000:18).

The roles of resource center according to Cham (1997) comprise three major roles: These
are governance, materials production and school services. The roles of each are
summarized bellow.

Governance serves
 To undertake planning for the operation of the resource center.
 To collect and record statistics pertaining to the operation of the resource
center.
 To coordinate staff development activities in the cluster.
 To research and develop new materials for the resources center.
 To evaluate the effectiveness of teaching aids housed in the resource center.
 To organize materials in the CRCs for easy access to the member schools.
Materials production serves
 To produce and find materials which might be useful for classroom
instruction.
 To maintain the materials produced for the resource center.
 To distribute materials to teachers in local schools as needed.
 To experiment in the use and production of materials to maximize efficiency.
 To evaluate the effectiveness of materials production techniques.

19
  To repair teaching aids housed at the resource center as necessary.
 To research and develop new materials for the resource center.
School services provide the possibilities
 To create a service system for surrounding schools.
 To disseminate materials and maintain contact with member schools.
 To train teachers on short or long term basis.
 To cooperate with local parent-teacher associations (PTAs), local authorities,
and other agencies (Cham, 1997:2).
The above three major activities are facilitated under the supervision of the supervisor in
Amhara Region.

2.2 Benefits and Functions of School Clusters

Clusters have been used for variety of applications and functions. The various functions
of clusters will benefit for many teachers, principals and other education managers to
improve educational quality. According to Bredenberg and Dahal (2000); MOE (2001)
and Ayalew Shibeshi (2004), school clusters are able to support quality classroom
instruction, that is, improve teacher knowledge and practice, and develop the capacity of
teachers’ planning and performance, increase access to teaching resources and community
involvement. The benefits of SCP are discussed in detail under the following
subdivisions.

2.2.1 Improving the Quality of Teaching and Learning

Many teachers were isolated, working for years on their own with little professional
contact with other people teaching the same grades and subjects. There is also little
opportunity to follow-up those teachers that attend in-service training workshops. Most of
this isolation is broken by the formation of cluster-based subject groups. In addition, the
following benefits of SCP were summarized from different documents.

 Teachers get together to discuss and interpret syllabuses, and to draw up

common schemes of work. This raises standards by encouraging teachers to
keep in step with other schools in the group.
 Test papers are set, typed, duplicated, assessed and moderated as a group
effort. Teachers do not have to set their own question papers, time is saved,
and the group is able to set better papers with a broader range of questions.

20
  All learners in the cluster are exposed to similar levels of testing.
 Higher standards and greater equity are achieved between schools.
 Principals and teachers meet within committees and learn from each other,
sharing experiences and ideas, assisting each other with problems, consulting
and co-operating at all levels.
 Teachers’ morale and confidence are boosted and their skills are developed as
they work together to improve their teaching efforts within a supportive
context.
 School visits from teachers or principals from within the cluster create a
culture of sharing and mutual support.
 Good teaching practices and teaching resources at schools are shared with
other schools in the cluster.
 Advisory teachers can channel their inputs more effectively through cluster-
based subject groups to reach all teachers within a given cluster.
 Human, material and financial resources in cluster schools can be utilized
optimally, hence, reduce disparity among schools for the benefit of all.
 Enrollment, attendance and learning achievements of students will increase in
all clustered schools through developing self motivation in teachers and
adoption of child-centered approach to instruction.
 Teachers will be motivated to conduct research in the subject they teach and
also to produce better teaching-learning aids (Dittmar et al., 2002:11 and 16;
Rebecca et al., 2003:3 and Ayalew Shibeshi, 2004:8-9).

The cluster system provides also a framework through which a more comprehensive and
coordinated program of training can be delivered efficiently at each cluster center.
Training needs can also be assessed cluster by cluster, rather than having a uniform
program for the whole region. For effective training, Dittmar et al. (2002) added that
cluster management committees can determine what training programs are needed to
improve the skills of principals, teachers, secretaries and school board members. The
cascade model of trainings also enable inspectors and cluster center principals
(supervisors in case of Amhara Region) to pass the trainings to the principals of satellite
school or board members. Follow-up by inspectors ensures that appropriate training is
provided at all levels. Teachers are encouraged and motivated through their subject

21
groups to upgrade their qualifications. Advisory teachers can be more effective by
implementing training programs for subject facilitators who can in turn pass on the
information to teachers in subject groups (Dittmar et al., 2002:11).

2.2.2 Management Application

Clusters help to improve the management of education. Clusters work best when they are
accompanied by as much decentralized and participatory decision-making (Dittmar et al.,
2002:12, and UNESCO-EFA, 2005:6).

The management applications of school clusters according to different documents are

listed as follows:
 Establishing and strengthen the linkage between REBs, Zonal Education
Departments, Woreda Education Offices, TEIs and primary schools in
improving the quality of teaching-learning practices.
 Using a participatory approach, cluster center principals guide and supervise
the satellite schools.
 The positive example of cluster centers that are well managed encourages
satellite schools to improve their management practices.
 This goes along with the development of a constructive competitive spirit
between schools.
 The administration of schools is improved through training, which is followed
up at cluster management meetings.
 Schools can jointly ensure that all teachers have job descriptions so that they
clearly understand their responsibilities.
 Principals are encouraged to take more responsibility for staff supervision and
accountability. Teacher absenteeism is reduced when more principals are
involved in the joint management of schools.
 Schools are managed more as networks rather than as individual empires
(Dittmar et al., 2002:12; Tilahun Begashaw et al., 2004:70; Ayalew Shibeshi,
2004:9 and AREB, 1997 E.C:6).
These all have positive impacts on professional development of teachers and thus,
contribute for quality of education.

22
The main arguments made for greater school autonomy/decentralization according to
UNESCO-EFA (2005) report are compelling and include the ideas that it is:

 more democratic, allowing teachers and parents to take school-based decisions;

 more relevant, since decision-making powers are closer to where problems are
experienced, leading to more appropriate and relevant policies;
 less bureaucratic, since decisions are taken more quickly;
 more accountable, as allowing schools and teachers a greater say in decisions
implies greater responsibility for their performance;
 more likely to yield additional resources, especially when giving parents a say in
school management encourages them to contribute to it (UNESCO-EFA,
2005:6).

Concerning the importance of leadership and autonomy in schools, UNESCO-EFA,

2005:13) concluded that:

Making schools work better is not easy, but it is at the heart of the
educational enterprise. It is important to have a vision of what a
good school is like. Greater autonomy can make a difference if
schools are well supported. Leadership is critical, whether in the
context of greater school autonomy or not.

2.2.3 Efficient Resource Sharing and Communications

Clusters improve efficiency of resource sharing because they divide the very large circuits
into a series of inter-related and more manageable parts through which information can
flow and within which resources can be used rationally. In relation to material and human
resource sharing, Bredenberg and Dahal (2000:3) and Dittmar et al. (2002:14-15) stated
the following from Namibian school clusters experiences.

1) Communication and Materials Sharing Efficiency

 Communication is channeled through the cluster centers to all the satellite

schools, helping to speed up communication between schools, inspectors and the
regional education office. This way information is also shared more effectively.

23
  Stationery and textbook orders are placed by the cluster center and distributed
from the circuit offices rather than each school having to do this independently
and centrally from the regional education office. The distribution of all materials
is improved, and time and transport costs are saved.
 The collection of statistics is coordinated through the cluster center, again saving
time and transport costs.
 Decisions are often made efficiently because they are made collectively by a
group of participants.
 More efficient use is made of resources, such as classrooms, teachers and
learning materials when schools share these resources.

2) Staff Allocations

Teachers and other staff can be allocated more effectively if staffing needs are evaluated
according to the needs of a group of schools that serve the wider community. This reduces
the frequency of some schools being overstaffed while others remain short of staff.
 Appropriately qualified teachers can be shared between schools in remote areas
where there are shortages of skills, or where enrolments at individual schools do
not justify particular posts.
 Appointments and transfers of teachers can be considered and recommended
through a process of consensus involving the school boards, the cluster
management committee and the cluster center principal, before being referred to
higher levels for approval.
 Management committees at cluster center levels are able to adjust staffing needs
in the circuit by recommending internal transfers.

Ayalew Shibeshi (2004:8) and Tilahun Begashaw et al. (2004:69) added that the material,
financial and human resources available in clusters optimally utilized for the benefit of all
in order to reduce disparity among schools.

Contrary to this idea, Tilahun Begashaw et al. (2004) found that even though sharing of
experiences and resources and staff development trainings have prime objectives of
cluster resource center, these activities are rarely practiced in most of the cluster schools
of Dire Dawa Administrative Council.

24
2.2.4 Community Involvement

Cluster allows parents and the whole community to be informed and participate about
their children and schools. The involvement of the community according to Dittmar et al.
(2002:16) have benefits in that school boards are informed and interested in education in
making recommendations about school problems such as teachers and learners
absenteeism, school activities, assisting children and school up-grading at cluster level.

2.2.5 Planning and Frameworks to Other Programs

Educational planning was concentrated on individual schools prior to the introduction of

school clustering without regard to the needs of the greater community. The cluster
system also provides a single structure through which a variety of programs and projects
can be delivered. To this, it is stated that:
 Planning needs and statistical returns can be discussed at cluster management
committees to make recommendations on needs for physical facilities.
 Problems of access where learners live far from schools can be assessed and
planned at cluster level.
 The cluster system provides a framework for the planning of infrastructure such
as roads, electricity and telephone services.
 Cluster centers provide resources and services, and prevent duplications of
facilities.
 Cluster system organizes kindergartens and adult education programs and
facilitates HIV/AIDS educational and counseling services (Dittmar et al.,
2002:18 and Tilahun Begashaw et al., 2004:69).

In Namibia, the process of clustering schools has had several interesting results that
include:
 Connecting teachers into focused networks.
 Promoting participation in education structures.
 Decentralizing decision-making processes.
 Encouraging creative solutions.
 Advancing flexible and innovative approaches to school management and
teaching practices.
 Sharing skills and experience.

25
  Empowering the stakeholders in education (Ward, 2006:1-2).
School clusters work best when they are accompanied by decentralized and participatory
decision-making initiatives. Clusters solve the problem of communications between
isolated schools and make interrelated and more manageable part through which
information can flow and within which resources can be used rationally (Ward, 2006).

2.3 Duties and Responsibilities of the Different Echelon Working on Cluster in the
Education System

The task of establishing and operation of school clusters requires coordinating efforts at
all levels that is, from the center (MOE) down to the school level. The duties of the
responsible bodies at different levels in the education sector are stated in different cluster
manuals or guidelines (MOE, 2001:13 and 14; Rebecca et al., 2003:21; Ayalew Shibeshi,
2004:11-12 and AREB, 1997 E.C: 14-20) which are summarized as follows.

At the Central Level (MOE)

 Preparation of cluster guidelines.

 Identification of source of resources and preparation of resources for teachers
and coordinators in audio/video and print forms.
 Coordination of local and external partners interested in cluster initiatives.
 Development of project ideas.
Regional Level (REBs)

 Establishing strong links between the cluster and TEIs.

 Coordinating the establishment of clustering of schools.
 Coordinating the program.
 Supervising and evaluating the program.
 Training the resource person(s) for each center.
 Allocating budget for strengthening resource centers.
 Providing locally available equipments and facilities.
The AREB cluster guideline added its duties in addition to the responsibilities given by
MOE. These are:
 Developing cluster guideline (Manual) for their Regional use.
 Helping the lower organizations up to school level.

26
  Arrange Regional consultative workshops with supervisors and school directors.
 Organize experience sharing exercises.

Woreda Education Office

Woreda Education Office (WEO) is the most immediate responsible body for
establishing, coordinating and supporting the resource centers and follow-up of the
program. In addition, conduct need assessment, prepare annual plans and identify
resource person. AREB added additional duties and responsibilities to Woreda education
office of the Amhara Region.
 Improve teachers’ professional development in association with TEIs.
 Help schools to furnish their classrooms with teaching aids.
 Allocate budget to cluster schools.
 Coordinate different committees and associations.
 Coordinate information and statistical works.
 Organize consultative workshops with supervisors and directors monthly.

Teacher Education Colleges

Teacher education colleges in Amhara Region are delegated by the education bureau to
assist the SCP in many ways. The cluster guideline stated some of their roles as follows.
 Establish and strengthen the cluster coordinating unit in the college.
 Work with supervisors and Woreda education offices in professional
development matters.
 Give training to cluster schools.
 Support school with financial and material aids.
 Carry out tracer studies and motivate teachers with different incentives.

Supervisors’ Duties and Responsibilities

 Coordinate and evaluate school clustering program.

 Improve and monitor the teaching /learning process in a cluster.
 Follow up the progress of CPD implementation in a cluster.
 Give supervision services.
 Make classrooms conducive for learning-teaching process by furnishing them.

27
  Arrange permanent and regular training programs, and organize participatory
planning program to integrate with the academic year plan.
 Arrange trainings to strength the learning-teaching process to be attractive and
effective.
 Develop training materials based on member schools conditions.
 Carryout regular meetings with teachers.
 Assist equally all satellite schools and alternative basic education centers.
 Develop result centered plan to school directors.
 Establish strong relations between the schools and the communities.

2.4 Improving School Clustering Programs

For proper and improved cluster program, there must be clear duties and responsibilities
of all parties involved, which are understood and agreed up on by the same. Based on
Namibian schools’ experience, the following ingredients for success were given attention
by Dittmar et al. (2002:21-26) in implementing cluster schools program.

2.4.1. Building Awareness: A cluster system needs to be clearly presented and

explained to its members to build awareness and a clear understanding of its
requirements, processes and potentials. This can be done through information
campaigns, workshops and media releases. People working in the education
system (teaching staff, inspectors and regional education office staff) are
obviously the most important target audiences, but information should also be
provided to school boards, regional councilors and trade unions.

2.4.2. Decentralized Decision-Making: Clusters work best when responsibilities are

delegated down to cluster levels to involve people close to schools in decision-
making. This is in line with the Ministry’s goal of promoting democratic
participation of all stakeholders. However, senior education managers have to be
courageous to actually handover some of their authority to lower levels. If this is
achieved, decisions and recommendations can be made speedily, and would
have local relevance and ownership. By doing so, the flow of information
between different management levels also becomes improved.

28
2.4.3. Regional Offices: Regional officials and management teams need to provide
clear directives on how the clusters should function. It is essential to give
consistent support to the cluster management levels about their responsibilities,
encouraging them to use the cluster system to improve the management and
provision of education. Planning should be done on the basis of clusters, and
cluster centers should be developed as a priority.

2.4.4. Inspectors: As the management level is immediately in charge of clusters,

inspectors need to play very active roles in supporting and using the cluster
system. They form the link between regional education offices and cluster
centers, and are responsible for the distribution of information, circulars and
equipment amongst clusters. Inspectors should ensure that all cluster center
principals are aware of their roles and functions. From the context of Amhara
Region, inspectors are WEO officials supervising cluster schools.

2.4.5. Cluster Centers: These are the focal points for contact and co-ordination
among schools in the cluster. They serve as in-service training centers, and they
ought to provide examples of good educational practice and management. To
improve working conditions, many of the centers need additional facilities such
as meeting venues, audio-visual aids, flip-charts, and duplicating facilities.
Additional staff should be provided to assist at cluster centers. Competent and
committed principals should be appointed at the cluster centers and steps should
be taken to replace principals who cannot take on the additional roles expected
at cluster centers.

2.4.6. Cluster Management Committees: A cluster management committee is a

forum where teaching and learning problems in schools may be addressed, and
where principals are empowered by being encouraged to search for solutions in
collaboration with their colleagues. Each committee should consist of the cluster
center principal as chairperson, school principals from each satellite school in
the cluster and appointed members such as senior teachers and school board
members. Minutes of meetings that reflect what is happening in the cluster are
sent to the inspector and the Regional Education Office. In case of the Amhara
Region, the chairperson is the cluster supervisor assigned in the CRC.

29
 2.4.7. Cluster Center Principals: They co-ordinate and promote activities in the
cluster in collaboration with other principals from the satellite schools. In the
case of the Amhara Region, the cluster center principals (supervisors) also form
links between schools and Woreda education offices.

2.4.8. Democratic Participation: The whole set up of the SCP is supposed to promote
the involvement of teachers, parents, school communities and learners in the
education process. This happens effectively when decentralization is effected at
the region level and in the school community. One important role of clusters is
to bring different people together and enhance their participation in schooling
issues. CRCs also provide settings for various participatory activities, such as in-
service training, school board training, and the organization of sports and
cultural events. Clusters allow more management decisions to be made at local
levels in schools and clusters, thus contributing to decentralization.

2.4.9. Development of Circuit Centers and Advisory Services: Clusters work best
where there are close links between cluster center principals (supervisors) and
inspectors. These connections and the overall management of education have
improved in places where new circuit offices were constructed to move circuit
inspectors closer to the clusters and schools that they serve. These would be
places from which all aspects of education in a local area could be coordinated,
managed and served. In addition to an inspector, each center should house
advisory teachers and a teachers’ resource center, thus becoming the focal point
for all schools in the area. These points would facilitate cluster programs if they
are properly applied according to the Ethiopian context.

2.5 School Clustering and Teacher Professional Development

According to Rhodes et al. (2004) professional development is any activity that increases
the skills, knowledge or understanding of teachers, and their effectiveness in schools.
Rhodes et al. (2004) also added that PD is an essential part in maintaining and advancing
professional abilities which then results in the improvement of educational quality. The
continuing professional development (CPD) of teachers is essential in creating effective
educational organization and in raising the standards of learner achievement. It has been

30
associated with improving classroom performance, engaging with opportunities created
by change initiatives, preparing teachers for specialist roles within organization, preparing
teachers for roles in management and leadership, and enabling the sharing of good
practices through networking arrangements, such as clustering of schools.

Clustered schools-based and teachers’ in-service PD programs have become widespread

and popular in recent years in both the industrialized and developing countries. In the
past, teachers’ in-service programs often have been neglected in developing countries
where budgets were severely limited and even where budgets were available they were
heavily assigned in favor of pre-service programs. After initial preparation, teachers
received little or no further professional support. There has been a shift in recent years
with in-service programs receiving increased attention and budget (EQ Review, 2004:1)

In support of this idea, Leu (2004) added that after leaving the pre-service institution, in-
service professional support is frequently scanty or non-existent. For example from
survey carried out as part of the USAID-funded BESO Project in September/October
1996 in Tigrai Regional State of Ethiopia revealed that teachers on the average had
participated in a one or two-day in-service activity every ten years. This shows that there
were no in-service professional support programs for teachers.

In-service teacher PD programs that take place at more local levels (in schools and
clusters of schools) are now favored and widely implemented. The argument, according to
Leu (2004) is made that the changing structure and location of in-service programs is
driven by issues of the quality of teachers within the context of rapid expansion of
enrollment, accompanied by two fundamental paradigm shifts within the education sector:
(i) The shift in approaches to both student and teacher learning from passive to
active learning and,
(ii) The shift to more decentralized forms of authority and activity (Leu, 2004:1).

A teacher in the classroom is one of the instruments for bringing about qualitative
improvement in learning and such quality is maximized where there is an enabling and
supportive environment, such that, pupils, teachers and schools have opportunities for
personal and institutional growth (Nkumbi et al., 2006). Thus, schools clustering can
accommodate this professional development of teachers.

31
Professional development refers to classes and less formal activities, such as being
mentored that teachers do to increase their skills (NAS, 2005). Professional development
is an integral part of each teacher’s performance that has to be improved continuously.

In recognition of the relevance of staff development programs, the Ministry of Education

declared in one of its cluster guide documents that:

School-based staff development programs enables teachers to

conduct ‘teach-each-other’ sessions, to share experiences, to seek
solutions to problems they face, to improve such areas as their
presentation skills, to use varied methods, to enhance student
participation and thus to improve the quality of education that
caters for both individual and societal needs (MOE, 2001:18).

Teacher conversation is one means of PD of teachers to improve the teaching-learning

process. Wheelock (2000) elaborated that professional development in many schools is an
‘add on activity’, something that happens in after-school workshops. PD program best
serves as goals of students’ academic improvement when teachers learn together in the
context of their own schools and as a normal part of the school day.

Peer collaboration is another pertinent means in developing a professional community to

improve student learning (Newman and King (2000) as in Wheelock (2000)). Sykes
(1999) as in Wheelock (2000) also identified collegial problem-solving as key to
sustaining school wide changes. Given professional opportunities for conversation and
study, teachers can emerge as pedagogical inventions, subject to questioning, critique, and
revision. School-based problem solving develops teachers’ shared responsibility for the
improvement of both the quality of teaching and the work expected from students.

Teachers must be at the center of any effort to improve education. Finch (1999) showed
that teachers themselves must build the capacity to change and evolve as their educational
institutions undergo changes. Professional development offers teachers the opportunity
for lifelong learning in their careers. Ideally, it builds upon what new teachers have
learned in teacher preparation programs, and upon what other teachers have learned over

32
the years in classrooms. The experiences gained thus must be shared among teachers
giving a greater emphasis to beginners.

Several elements have come together and created the environment for the changes,
motivating governments and donors to value and support teachers in increasingly new
ways and to recognize the necessity for ongoing career-long support programs. These
include:

 Widespread curricula reforms that emphasize active learning and the

accompanying necessity of rapid and effective teacher change;
 Growing realization of the central role of teachers quality in improving overall
educational quality;
 Career-long ongoing teachers’ professional development is now viewed as a
necessity in order to improve teachers’ quality and therefore educational quality;
 Rapid expansion of student enrollments requiring much larger numbers of teachers
and the necessity of finding ways to support relatively inexperienced or/and
unqualified teachers;
 Declining quality as a consequence of rapidly expanding quantity of education in
the absence of sufficient resources; and
 Willingness on the part of governments and donors to invest in teacher quality
(EQ Review, 2004:1 and Leu, 2004:2, 3).

In response to these challenges, many countries are turning to more decentralized and
localized forms of teacher support. These in-service programs follow a wide variety of
patterns that include groups of teachers working together to improve their practices at
school, teachers working together in clusters of several schools, or a combination of both.
Involvement in in-service programs is usually highly participatory and carried out by the
teachers themselves, experienced teachers, and outside advisors using support materials
that give basic information on innovative practices. The approach to teacher learning
follows student-centered and active-learning patterns for adult learners to implement in
their own classrooms (EQ Review, 2004).

According to School District of Philadelphia (2006), the goal of the professional

development system will be to enable every teacher, administrator, and staff member to

33
develop the knowledge, skills and behaviors required to enable students to demonstrate
high levels of achievement. To achieve these goals, the U.S. Department of Education
revised and developed the principles of professional development:

 Focuses on teachers as center stage to student learning, and focuses on individual,

collegial, and organizational improvement of all members the school community
 Respects and nurtures the intellectual and leadership capacity of teachers,
principals, and others in the school community
 Reflects the best available research and practice in teaching and learning.
 Enables teachers to develop further expertise in content, teaching strategies
(pedagogy), use of technologies, and other elements of teaching to high standards
 Promotes commitment to continuous inquiry and improvement embedded in the
daily life of schools
 Is planned collaboratively by all who will participate in and facilitate that
development
 Requires substantial time and resources that enable educators to develop their
individual capacity, to learn and to work together
 Is a coherent long-term plan that incorporates professional development as
essential among a broad set of strategies to improve teaching and learning, and
 Is evaluated on the basis of its impact on teacher effectiveness, student learning,
leadership, and the school community; and this assessment guides subsequent
professional development efforts (U.S. Department of Education, 1995:5).

The professional development strategy in Philadelphia is basically similar to principles

stated by the U.S Department of Education (1995) in that it is largely shaped by learning
communities, schools and clusters. The vision centered on high expectations for all
students, curriculum content, pedagogy, assessment, local decision making, school
governance, collaboration, leadership, parental involvement, classroom management,
conflict resolution and technology (School District of Philadelphia, 2006:1-2).

Besides, life-long learning that includes early childhood education, higher education,
continuing education and distance education, builds upon the foundation of universal
literacy. Life-long learning compensates for lack of full formal schooling by promoting

34
informal programs and putting value to life experience which creates a learning society
that can adapt and grow with changing circumstances (UNESCO, 2004b).

Professional development must be intensive and sustained. As to School District of

Philadelphia (2006), it will involve observing and practicing good practice, being coached
and reflecting on good practice and repeating the process. It does not rely on sitting
occasionally at the feet of experts in workshops. It will emphasize building skill and
knowledge teacher to teacher being informed from time to time by both the opportunity to
observe exemplary practice and benefit from experts.

The importance of school to school and school to teacher education institutions (TEIs)
linkage for effective professional development of teachers is emphasized by U.S
Department of Education (1995). It elaborated that strong professional development
programs require partnerships among schools, higher education institutions and other
appropriate entities. The Department also correlates professional development to teachers’
career in that it improves teacher recruitment, selection, preparation, licensing and
certification, and ongoing development and support.

Professional development culture must focus more on professional learning practices that
takes place in the school and classroom level. It is summarized in the following table.

Table 1: Shifting the balance in professional learning (Freer, 2007:1-2)

Teacher learning
Less of this More of this
 External workshops  Workplace – based professional learning
 Reliance on experts  Staff sharing experiences and expertise
 Separation of training from work  Integration of teachers’ work and
 Professional learning as an learning
isolated event  Professional learning as a routine
 Individual pursuit of professional practice
learning  Group pursuit of professional learning

35
According to Leu (2004), changing patterns of teacher in-service education respond to the
need for improved teacher quality in the context of rapid educational expansion and
changing educational goals. The shift towards school-based and cluster approaches is also
related to shifts that have taken in the way student and teacher learning. It is summarized
as follows.

Table 2: The previous and present approaches of teacher learning (Leu, 2004:6)

Teacher learning
Previous approaches
 Goal is teachers who are competent
in following rigid and prescribed
classroom routines
 Teachers are “trained” to follow
patterns
 Passive learning model
 Cascade model – large centralized
workshops or programs
 Expert driven
 Little inclusion of teacher
knowledge and realities of
classrooms
 Positivist base
Present approaches
 Goal is teachers who are reflective
practitioners who can make informed
professional choices
 Teachers are prepared to be empowered
professionals
 Active and participatory model
 School-based model in which all teachers
participate
 Teacher facilitated (with support materials)
 Central importance of teacher knowledge
and realities of classrooms
 Constructivist base

The study of Hiebert et al. (2002) as in Leu (2004), there is a growing consensus that
professional development yields the best results when it is long-term, school-based, and
collaborative, actively involving all teachers, focused on students’ learning, and linked to
the curriculum. Such a model of professional development as Knowles (1978) in Leu
(2004) suggests that pre-service teacher education is just the first step in a career-long
program of professional development. In order to achieve ongoing professional
development that reaches all teachers, programs must be more localized, and use, as a
matter of central importance of teachers’ own knowledge, the realities of their classrooms
and schools. This approach to teacher learning is informed by constructivism and is also
to experiential learning models that underlie to effective adult learning (Leu, 2004:6-7).

36
According to the study of Craig et al. (1998) in MacNeil (2004:4), an effective teachers’
professional development (TPD) program has the following characteristics:
1) A thorough and participatory needs assessment of teachers and staff is required for
the design of an effective TPD;
2) The design of an effective TPD program must be derived from an overall strategic
vision and framework for the continuous implementation of the professional
development effort;
3) Teachers and administrators must participate in all stages of planning and
implementation. There are also successful examples of community involvement in
the earliest stages of TPD planning;
4) The curriculum of the TPD program should combine pedagogy and content, rather
than overemphasizing one or the other; and
5) There should be a commitment to continuous improvement through ongoing
guidance, monitoring and feedback, and technical support.

In addition, Craig et al. (1998) in MacNeil (2004) also point out the need to accommodate
the special needs of teachers in rural areas including isolation, the local cultural milieu,
community expectations, multi-grade classrooms, chronic lack of resources, safety and
sanitation issues.

2.6 Science and Teachers’ Professional Development

Learning of science is an active process. The National Academy of Science (NAS) (2005)
emphasized this idea in that learning science is something students do, not something that
is done to them. In learning science, students describe objects and events, ask questions,
acquire knowledge, construct explanations of natural phenomena, test those explanations
in many different ways, and communicate their ideas to others.

Moreover, the understanding and abilities required to be a masterful teacher of science are
not static. As to NAS (2005) science content increases and changes, and a teacher’s
understanding in science must keep pace. Knowledge about the process of learning is also
continually developing, requiring that teachers remain informed. The current reform effort
in science education requires a substantive change in how science is taught and an equally
substantive change in professional development practices at all levels.

37
Thus, the realization of the desired outcome of science teaching and the applicability of
science to society can be facilitated if teachers of science education have well developed
pedagogical skills. For effective development of pedagogy and hence effective teaching
techniques, teachers need to develop understanding that science education in general, and
biological science in particular as a process- oriented human activity. But, contrary to this
as Bekalo and Welford (2000) there is an assumption among Ethiopian science educators
that practical work in the science means only laboratory work involving sophisticated and
imported expensive apparatus. Working with locally available materials out side the
laboratory are not considered to be practical work and these practices are perceived as low
status activities. This may be for the reason that teachers lack the necessary professional
up grading mechanism on a continuous basis.

Therefore, professional development for teachers of science requires learning important

science contents through the perspectives and methods of inquiry. Science learning
experiences for teachers must:

 Involve teachers in actively investigating phenomena that can be studied

scientifically, interpreting results, and making sense of findings consistent
with currently accepted scientific understanding.
 Address issues, events, problems, or topics significant in science and of
interest to participants.
 Support the sharing of teacher expertise by preparing and using mentors,
teacher advisers, coaches, lead teachers, and resource teachers to provide
professional development opportunities.
 Introduce teachers to scientific literature, media, and technological resources
that expand their knowledge and their ability to access further knowledge.
 Build on teacher's current science understanding, ability, and attitudes.
 Incorporate ongoing reflection on the process and outcomes of
understanding science through inquiry.
 Encourage and support teachers in efforts to collaborate (NAS, 2005:4-5 and
Kahle, 1999).

Effective science teaching is more than knowing science content and some teaching
strategies. NAS (2005) elaborated that skilled teachers of sciences must have special

38
understanding and abilities to integrate their knowledge of science content, curriculum
materials, learning objectives, learning and teaching strategies (pedagogy), and the
potential of their students (the physical, social, and intellectual environments).

Teachers of science in general and biological science teachers in particular, should get the
opportunity to promote life-long learning mechanisms in in-service programs for various
reasons. Because of this, primary schools clustering program is given priority as a means
of continuous professional development of teachers in Ethiopia.

Professional development activities according to NAS (2005:10) create opportunities for

teachers to confront new and different ways of thinking and acting; to discuss, examine,
criticize, explore, argue, and struggle with new ideas; to reflect on the experiments and
experiences of teaching science, and to re-visit everything.

According to NAS (2005), the professional development standards encompass the

following changes.

39
Table 3: Focus of PD of science teachers (NAS, 2005:13-14)

Peripheral areas Focus areas

 Transmission of teaching
knowledge and skills by
lectures and reading
 Separation of science and
teaching knowledge
 Separation of theory and
practice
 Individual learning
 Fragmented, one-shot sessions
courses and workshops
 Reliance on external expertise
 Inquiry into teaching and learning, and
learning science through investigation and
inquiry
 Integration of science and teaching
knowledge
 Integration of theory and practice in school
settings
 Collegial and collaborative learning
 Long-term coherent plans and a variety of
professional development activities
 Mix of internal and external expertise

 Staff developers are  Staff developers as facilitators, consultants,

considered as educators
 Teacher as technician
 Teacher as consumer of
knowledge about teaching
 Teacher as follower
 Teacher as an individual
based in a classroom
 Teacher as target of change
and planners
 Teacher as intellectual, reflective practitioner
 Teacher as producer of knowledge about
teaching
 Teacher as leader
 Teacher as a member of a collegial
professional community
 Teacher as source and facilitator of change

It is therefore necessary to re-assess the current scenario of school clustering as a means

of promoting the professional development of school teachers. It is with this aim that
various strategies of investigation involving all possible stakeholders and using pertinent
and tested research instruments pooled together to come up with constructive conclusions,
recommendations and sustainable action plans for future development of school teachers
who are corner stones in the improvement of the quality of education offered to young
Ethiopians at various levels.

40
2.7 Challenges Facing School Clustering Program

School-based and cluster in-service programs are very popular with teachers who are
accustomed to receiving little professional attention and to working in isolation. Despite
the rapid growth of schools and cluster-based teacher in-service programs in developing
countries, there are many problems about their organization, content, effectiveness, cost,
and sustainability. Factors that influence the program include organization and leadership;
the supply of support material; the degree of system support; and teacher incentives
including covering teachers’ costs through payment of per diem and travel expenses,
certifying teachers for attendance, or officially recognizing and praising teachers’
participation. Long distance among schools is also a problem in determining how
frequently cluster in-service events can take place, especially since teachers in widely
dispersed schools in very remote areas probably cannot meet as frequently as those in
more densely populated areas (EQ Review, 2004:3).

School clustering is not always easy even if it has several benefits. In Namibia, there are
great distances between some schools in remote clusters, lack of facilities at the centers to
participate all the schools and limited training opportunities. There is also disagreement
amongst the possible participants about whether clustering will actually help those
involved, or just make life more difficult (Ward, 2006).

Similar challenges were also reported from Dessie and Debre Birhan cluster schools.

 The school cluster unit has no specific REB budget designated for their activities
and has to negotiate for a share of the college budget for each and every activity.
 Lack of official linkage between the college, school cluster units and Woreda.
 WEO does not actively and efficiently support the school cluster units’ activities.
 Coordinators have faced heavy work load and lack of incentives.
 Transportation problems with regard to supervision.
 Poor time management on behalf of the stakeholders e.g. arriving late for meetings.
 Pedagogical centers and Libraries are poorly organized.
In general, weak staff development activities have been observed in Debre Birhan and
Dessie town cluster schools (AED/BESO, 2005:19).

41
Other possible difficulties of working in clusters were also reported:
 It is difficult to have resources if traveling is involved.
 Teachers do not recognize the value of their experience and skills and often feel
uncomfortable giving training to their colleagues.
 There are significant geographical problems in linking TEIs to individual clusters
(Rebecca et al., 2003:3).

The major factors that contributed for the withdrawal of teachers form their initial
commitments in UNESCO supported cluster schools of Ethiopia were:
 Lack of institutional commitment and support.
 Lack of efficient school management.
 Lack of efficient and sufficient follow up and monitoring.
 Lack of continuity in the training programs.
 Lack of credit for the training programs taken.
 Suspension of salary increments teachers used to get every two years (Ayalew
Shibeshi, 2004:30).

The current condition in Amhara Region is different from UNICEF supported schools in
other Regions. In each cluster center one supervisor is assigned permanently to support
the cluster member schools. The salary of the head teachers and supervisors is relatively
attractive outweighing the salary of subject teachers. In addition to this, school directors
and supervisors were given trainings and linked to the near by TEIs.

42
 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 The Research Methods

The research was conducted using the survey based descriptive research method. This
method is found to be appropriate to collect information and assess the current status of
school clustering program in helping the professional development of biological science
teachers in second cycle primary schools.

3.2 The Research Sites

This research was carried out in four Woredas of South Wollo Administrative Zone,
namely Tenta, Wereilu, Dessie and Kombolcha Woredas in Amhara National Regional
State. The capital of South Wollo Zone is Dessie, which is found in eastern part of the
Amhara Region, 480 kilometers east of Bahir Dar (capital of the Region), and 400
kilometers north of Addis Ababa. The research sites are shown below in Figs. 6 and 7.

Figure 6: Location of South Wollo Zone in Amhara Region of Ethiopia (Source: Wollo
University, Geographical Information System (GIS), Department of Geography
(December 2006))

The selected four Woredas were grouped into two geographical sites as urban Woredas
(Dessie and Kombolcha) and rural Weredas (Tenta and Wereilu) in the zone. Dessie and

43
Kombolcha towns are the nearest surrounding Woredas to Dessie College of Teacher
Education which were regularly supported by the college and BESO/USAID project.
Tenta and Wereilu Woredas were not supported as the urban Woredas because they are
140 kilometers and 90 kilometers far away from Dessie respectively. These four Woredas
were selected purposively because they are relatively populous and wide in comparison to
the other Woredas.

Figure 7: Location of sample Woredas in South Wollo Administrative Zone

Source: Wollo University, Geographical Information System (GIS), Department of

Geography (December 2006)

3.3 Participants and Sampling Procedure

The main subjects involved in this study were all biological science teachers of the four
Woredas teaching biology in Grades 7 and 8 of primary schools (Table 4). Besides, the
school directors, supervisors assigned in the cluster centers, inspectors from each Woreda,
experts who are concerned in school clusters in AREB, all instructors of natural science

44
department and cluster coordinators in Dessie College of Teacher Education were
involved in the study (Table 5).

All of these participants were selected using purposive sampling methods because they
were directly concerned with school clustering programs and the total number of
participants were manageable. The following table summarizes the feature of participants.

Table 4: Total BSTs of the four Woredas in years of teaching experience and
participation (Source of data for expected participants: Department of Education of
South Wollo Administrative Zone, September 2006)

Number of Percentage

participants
Responded, (in years of
No full cycle Expected of

Total
Woredas teaching experience)
schools participants participants
0-5 6-10 Above 10
1 Dessie 15 34 14 10 5 29 85.3%
2 Kombolcha 9 18 7 5 4 16 88.9%
3 Tenta 12 28 15 6 3 24 85.7%
4 Wereilu 10 22 12 4 3 19 86.4%
Total 46 102 48 25 15 88 86.3%

Out of 102 expected participants of biological science teachers, 14 participants did not
either return the questionnaires or wrongly filled it out, which were then discarded.

Table 5: Participants other than BSTs (Source of data for expected participants of
school director, supervisors, WEO and AREB officials: Department of Education of
South Wollo Administrative Zone, September 2006)

Sample Properly Percentage of

No Name of participants
members involved participation
1 School directors and supervisors 78 63 80.77%
2 WEO and AREB officials 10 6 60.0%
3 Instructors (Dessie CTE) 10 8 80.0%
4 Cluster coordinators (Dessie CTE) 4 4 100.0%
Total 102 81 79.41%

45
3.4 Instruments of Data Collection

This study mainly uses the descriptive survey method. To meet the requirements of such a
method, the instruments used were questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions
and observations.

Questionnaires

Questionnaires were the main tools used in this study to gather data from BSTs and head
teachers (school directors and supervisors) of the primary schools of second cycle in the
study areas. The questionnaires contained various types of questions that addressed
different issues of the study in direct and indirect ways. Two types of questionnaires both
close- and open-ended containing items were prepared and distributed for both groups of
respondents (BSTs and head teachers). See Appendix I for full text of the questionnaires.

Prior to the actual administration of the questionnaires developed for BSTs, supervisors
and school directors, they were commented in Dessie CTE by teachers of natural science
department for their appropriateness.

Interviews
Guide questions were developed for AREB and Woreda education officials, and college
cluster coordinators (both VSO volunteers and supervisors) to collect the necessary data
that would supplement the results found through questionnaires (See Appendix II).
Interviews were conducted in Amharic for convenience and quick retrieval of information
from subjects except with the two VSO volunteers.

Focus Group Discussions

The discussion with instructors of natural science department of Dessie CTE was held in
English after briefing the objectives of the study and the value of their trustworthy
suggestions in developing the professional development of biological science teachers of
primary schools by strictly following and concentrating to the discussion points
developed.

46
Observations
Major teaching aids appropriately fit to the contents of biological science subjects for
Grades 7 and 8 were selected from textbooks and common educational equipment were
listed down as a check list (See Appendix III). Using this semi-structured observation of
primary schools of the second cycle, the resourcefulness of science classes by the
production and displaying of locally made teaching aids and laboratory materials were
observed. In addition, keeping diary of casual events was another method of recording
any relevant observations that were taking place during the period of research. The data
thus generated were used to supplement the results of the questionnaires.

3.5 Methods of Data Analysis

Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were employed for this survey
based descriptive research. The data obtained through close-ended questions were
analyzed quantitatively. To know the awareness of teachers and school leaders (school
directors and supervisors), perceptions of biological science teachers to the school
clustering program, the extent of school clustering program in helping biological science
teachers professional development, conditions that facilitate SCP and obstacles hindering
the effectiveness of school clustering program, percentages were used to analyze the data.

The difference in perceptions, if any, between urban and rural Woreda biological science
teachers, and among teachers with different years of teaching experience about school
clustering program were analyzed using Chi square (x2) method of data analysis (Best and
Kahn, 1999:356-362).

The data gathered through interviews, focus group discussion, observations, keeping diary
and open-ended questionnaires were analyzed qualitatively using the direct and
summarized words of the subjects of the study intermingled with the results of the
questionnaires.

47
 4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter is discussing the results of the study. Tables 4 and 5 showed the total number
of subjects who were actively engaged in the research. The details of the data generated
using the various research instruments discussed above are described below.

4.1 The Perception of Participants about the Relevance of SCP

4.1.1 Awareness of BSTs on the Use of SCP to their Professional Development

The biological science teachers of Grades 7 and 8 of the urban Woredas (Kombolcha and
Dessie) and rural Woredas (Wereilu and Tenta) were asked to express their awareness
about the contribution of SCP in relation to their subject knowledge and teaching skills
improvement. The data was analyzed in percentages as follows.

Table 6: Response on the awareness of BSTs on the contribution of SCP for their
professional development

Awareness of respondents
Question Woredas f Yes % No % UD %

Are you aware of the Rural 43 27 62.7 15 34.8 1 2.3

relevance of school
clustering program
Urban 45 30 66.6 13 28.8 2 4.4
for your professional
development?
Total Urban + Rural 88 57 64.7 28 31.8 3 3.4
(f stands for frequency of respondents and UD for Undecided responses)

As indicated in Table 6, most of the respondents (64.7%) rated positively the significance
of SCP for their professional development. The biological science teachers’ awareness in
the rural Woredas (Tenta and Wereilu) and in the urban Woredas (Kombolcha and Dessie)
is almost at the same level (62.7% and 66.6% respectively). However, from the
researcher’s experience, the presence of unaware teachers (31.8%) should not be ignored
as insignificant since trained supervisors and directors were assigned in each cluster
resource centers (CRCs) to train and supervise the school cluster activities.

48
Concerning the importance of adapting the trainings of SCP for raising teachers’ subject
area knowledge and the value of awareness trainings, a VSO volunteer working in Dessie
CTE cluster unit, Mrs. Jillian Bradley was interviewed and she said that:
Most teachers like to participate in different trainings and
value sharing ideas with other biology teachers, though some
teachers think they should only receive trainings in their own
subject and are not used to adapting ideas to suit their own
subject [biology]. On the other hand, the pre-service teachers
have little or no idea about clustering, and would benefit from
some awareness raising classes in the college.

Biological science teachers from the clustered schools have further stressed that they do
not meet to share experiences concerning the exchange of knowledge and skills in the
area of teaching biology. Some of the trainings given to them were continuous
assessment, active learning methods, classroom management, and the likes as mentioned
in the open-ended questions of teachers. These were mostly offered by experts from other
subject areas. This has diminished the conceptions of biology teachers who were always
aspiring to see some biologist role models.

Amare Asgedom et al. (2006) as cited from Amhara Regional State Education Bureau,
(2005), the Amhara Regional State has strongly supported school clustering program for
continuous professional development (CPD), assign a supervisor drawn from the ranks of
excellent teachers to support professional development in each of the Region’s school
clusters. This attention will help teachers not only to make them aware but also to
influence their teaching efficiency to the maximum possible standards.

On top of this, Amare Asgedom et al. (2006:33) in their pilot study of Ethiopian teachers’
perception of professional development showed that the Amhara Region primary school
teachers have positive attitude to SCP and professional development. PD improves their
learning and knowledge and leads to professional advancement. In the same study
teachers are made to list improved professional knowledge and teaching practice as the
main results of participation in professional development programs. They reported that
workshops sharpened their skills in teaching, provided new knowledge in areas such as
continuous assessment, action research, lesson planning, the production and use of

49
teaching aids, facilitation rather than transmission of learning, and effective ways of
handling slowness and absenteeism. Most importantly, teachers reported that professional
development created a more positive outlook on their pedagogical concepts.

In addition to the above pedagogical skills, the provision of continuous professional

development (CDP) for science teachers through school clustering program, as stressed
by the American Educational Research Association (AERA, 2005:1-2) and National
Science Teachers Association (NSTA, 2006:1) should be linked specifically to the subject
matter knowledge, teaching skills and teachers daily experiences and needs. This is not
however the reality on the ground according to the responses of the teachers to the open-
ended questions. The experience showed that SCP is mainly focused on non-subject
specific pedagogical skills. This is considered by the researcher as one possible reason for
the presence of unaware teachers in schools that are contained in clusters.

4.1.2 Perception of BSTs about the Use of School Clustering Program for their PD

Biological science teachers were asked to report how they perceive the benefits of SCP
for professional development and their feelings of school clustering activities and
participations. The data were organized into three columns (favorable, undecided and
unfavorable responses) and presented as follows.

50
Table 7: Perception of BSTs about the relevance of SCP

Favorable Undecided Unfavorable

No Items f % f % f %
1 Is SCP relevant in developing your
profession? 65 73.9 16 18.2 7 8.0
2 SCP as a means of PD strategy, has it to
be sustained in the life of teaching? 58 65.9 18 20.5 12 13.6
3 Are you happy in meeting other BSTs
for experience sharing? 55 62.5 15 17.0 18 20.5
4 Do you feel satisfaction at the end of
cluster workshops or meetings 42 47.7 20 22.7 26 29.5
5 Are you eagerly sharing experiences
with your colleagues in the SCP? 32 36.4 25 28.4 31 35.2
Overall 252 57.3 94 21.4 94 21.4
f=frequency of respondents (Total = 88)

The data from Table 7 showed that BSTs have overall positive perception about school
clustering program in developing their professions. From all the respondents, 57.3% of
BSTs have positive perception about the significance of the program and they said that it
has to be continued as a means of professional development strategy. In line with this, it is
stated that the contribution of SCP for the professional development of teachers is highly
relevant if it is supported by all stakeholders and it is favored by the government as a
means of improving teachers and educational quality (MOE, 2001; Dittmar et al., 2002;
Ayalew Shibeshi, 2004 and AREB, 1997 E.C.)

Thus, to sustain SCP over the coming years, the Regional Education Bureau, Zonal
Education Departments, WEOs and Supervisors must accomplish their duties and
responsibilities. To this, (MOE, 2001: 13-14 and AREB, 1997 E.C.: 14-20) plainly stated
the duties and responsibilities of government organizations starting from the central level
(MOE) and Regional levels (REB) up to the grass root levels (member schools). MOE
(2001:13) also stressed that coordinated efforts are essential at all levels, from the centers
(REBs) to the school, and the effectiveness of the program must be evaluated based on the
curriculum and the education and training policy.

51
In addition to the coordinated efforts, teachers must develop a sense of ownership to the
objectives of school clustering program to make it sustainable and effective. In support of
this, the study of Santiago and McKenzie (2006) in (Graan and Leu, 2006: 8 stated that:

Unless teachers are actively involved in policy formulation, and

feel a sense of ‘ownership’ of reform, it is unlikely that
substantial changes will be successfully implemented. One of the
main challenges for policy makers facing the demands of a
knowledge society is how to sustain teachers’ quality and ensure
all teachers continue to engage in effective modes of ongoing
professional learning.

This idea is also supported by Winter (2001:3) in that professional development must
sustain over time, supported by regular follow-up, and it must encourage continuous
reflection and improvement. One can conclude from this that PD of teachers in general
and biological science teachers in particular must be sustained over the years.

As it is depicted in Table 7 of item number 4, only 47.7% of BSTs were feeling happy at
the end of the cluster workshops held in CRCs. In support of this data, most of biological
science teachers, school directors and supervisors listed down the following points that
have negative impact in the open-ended questions. The same results also emerged at the
focus group discussions with natural science teachers in Dessie CTE. These are:
 Absence of experienced and mentor teachers in schools.
 Many teachers do not attend cluster meetings on a regular basis.
 Absence of reference materials to support the selected training titles.
 Shortage of stationeries and reference materials supplied at the workshops.
 Absence of resourceful training rooms and laboratories.
 Inconsistent scheduling of training programs by supervisors.

As it is observed from Table 7, Number 5, most teachers are not eagerly sharing
experience with their colleagues. It is only 36.4% of the participants who responded
positively. Most teachers commented in the open-ended questions by stating that they
have no relevant experiences to share ideas with their friends. According to Rebecca, et
al. (2003:3) this is because teachers do not recognize the value of their experiences and

52
skills, and often feel uncomfortable in giving trainings to their colleagues. This is
therefore most likely requires continued and regular engagement of all stakeholders with
teachers being at the center of it.

Contrary to this, schools working in small groups or subsystems can make combined
efforts and are needed and make schools effective as a whole (Arends, 1994: 439). This is
for the fact that different teachers have different styles of working which provides variety
in schools that can be valuable and keeps the teaching dynamics in many classes (Dean,
2001:3).

Moreover, Amare Asgedom et al. (2006) stated that school cluster system is effective
program for teachers’ learning by involving in sharing knowledge among them and the
conditions should have been given particular value for professional development of
teachers. Thus, teachers’ experience is valuable at any level and that can be improved
through communication and collaboration.

4.1.3 The Awareness of Supervisors and Directors about the Relevance of SCP for
the Professional Development of BSTs

Supervisors were teachers teaching in the second cycle primary schools. These teachers
were selected from primary schools of second cycle and trained in the teacher education
colleges of Amhara Region, and assigned in each of the cluster school resource center
(CRC) to coordinate and supervise all the cluster member schools. These supervisors and
the trained school directors were asked to reflect on their understanding about the
relevance of SCP for the professional development of BSTs. Their responses are
categorized into yes, neutral/undecided and no.

53
Table 8: Supervisors and directors awareness about the importance of SCP for PD
of BSTs
Responses
No Woredas f Yes % Undecided % No %
1 Dessie 18 17 94.4 - 0 1 5.5
2 Wereilu 14 12 85.7 1 7.1 1 7.1
3 Kombolcha 15 15 100 - 0 - -
4 Tenta 16 14 87.5 - 0 2 12.5
Overall 63 58 92.0 1 1.5 4 6.3
f=frequency (Total = 63)

As observed in Table 8, the awareness of supervisors and school directors rated the
importance of SCP for PD of BSTs as favorable (92.0%). As it was learnt also from the
open-ended questions, the positive attitude of supervisors and directors is due the effect of
the intensive trainings given by the Amhara Regional Education Bureau in the four
teacher education institutions for about two months continuously and other intermittent
monitoring and stimulating workshops given at different intervals. The other reason is
that the implementation of SCP is their prime duty and responsibility as stated in the
school clustering guideline of the Amhara Region (AREB, 1997 E.C.:19-20), which of
course implies that some work is done in this area.

Further, Table 8 above showed that most school directors and supervisors (92.0%), and
some researchers supported the idea of SCP, where they approved its significant role to
educational quality. The researchers said that to improve the access, quality, relevance
and internal efficiency of education system at the primary level, SCP appears to be one of
the useful initiatives in addressing the educational challenges with significant emphasis
on PD of teachers (Dittmar et al., 2002; Ayalew Shibeshi , 2004:1 and Getu Taddese,
2006:1 and 15).

The roles of supervisors in school cluster system are considered as an essential and
decisive part of professional development strategy. As the study of Kassahun (2001) in
Getu Tadesse (2006:20-21) added that effective supervision and appraisal improve
personal and professional qualities. The supervisors, therefore, can bring changes in

54
teachers’ learning at school level if they are motivated to help teachers. This is why
supervisors and directors have clear understanding about SCP.

4.2 The Extent of SCP that Helps BSTs in Developing their Profession

The responses of biological science teachers to the questions related to the effect of SCP
on their professional development are given in Table 9, below.

Table 9: The Extent of SCP that helps PD of BSTs (N = 88)

Responses
No SA % A % U % D % SD %
Items
1 Improve teaching
efficiency 33 37.5 34 38.6 18 20.4 2 2.27 1 1.1
2 Experience sharing 16 18.1 42 47.7 17 19.3 7 7.95 6 6.8
3 Material resources
sharing 11 12.5 26 29.5 18 20.4 19 21.5 14 15.9
4 Human Resource sharing 11 12.5 21 23.8 17 19.3 22 25 17 19.3
5 Improving social
relations of BSTs 13 14.7 27 30.6 20 22.7 9 10.2 19 21.5
6 Inclusion to their annual
plan 15 17.0 20 22.7 14 15.9 20 22.7 19 21.5
7 Resourcefulness of CRCs
(Teaching aid production) 12 13.6 27 30.7 15 17.0 25 28.4 9 10.2
8 Use of continuous
assessment 28 31.8 30 34.1 10 11.3 11 12.5 9 10.2
9 Use of science kit 10 11.3 25 28.4 19 21.6 23 26.1 11 12.5
10 Aware laboratory basic
techniques 7 10 11 25.5 22 25 25 28.4 23 26.1
Overall 156 17.7 263 29.9 170 19.3 163 18.5 128 14.5
Keys: SA=strongly agree, A=agree, U=undecided, D=disagree, and SD=strongly disagree

As shown above in Table 9, Number 1, SCP helped most of the BSTs that is 76.1%
(37.5(SA) + 38.6(A)) in improving their teaching practice. In line with this result

55
Kahle (1999:6) said that the type of PD experience affects teachers’ use of standard-based
teaching practices and student achievement. Kahle (1999) added that PD of teachers is a
critical component of improving schools and their teaching efficiencies. Besides, Loucks-
Horsley et al. (1996) added that the best PD experiences for science and mathematics
educators include effective classroom learning and teaching, and develop knowledge,
skills and teaching approaches. Therefore, BSTs should share their experiences among
each other that gained through classroom learning and teaching in in-service program as
professional development through school clustering system.

In improving teaching efficiency of teachers, Winter (2001) forwarded that effective staff
development provides sustained support for teachers while they observe and analyze
model lessons, try out new strategies in their own classrooms, demonstrate their teaching
for peers and coaches, and refine their teaching practices.

Experience sharing as one of the goals of SCP is related to PD strategy for teachers. Most
of the respondents (65.9%) of BSTs as indicated in Table 9, Number 2, argued that SCP
helped them in sharing experiences with colleagues. But, this finding does not coincide
with the study of Tilahun Begashaw et al. (2004) in that experience sharing opportunities
in Dire Dawa Administrative Council are negligible and schools in a cluster remain
isolated. In accordance to this finding, Mrs. Orla McCarthy, a VSO volunteer and cluster
coordinator in Dessie CTE said that ‘‘through experience sharing, biology teachers will
meet other biology teachers and discuss new ideas and problems’’. One can conclude that
experience sharing opportunities in the four Woredas of Amhara Region were improved
especially in teaching efficiency of teachers.

Resource sharing (human and material) is another objective of school clustering program.
The respondents, as depicted in Table 9, Numbers 3 and 4, indicated that material and
human resource sharing opportunities were below the expected level. Because, it is only
42% and 36.3% of the respondents that said SCP helps in sharing human and material
resources, respectively. Resource sharing in the study areas is poorly practiced and has to
be seriously considered in the future. Tilahun Begashaw et al. (2004) found the same
result in that because of no clear rules and principles, shortage of materials, mobility of
staff and resources is usually limited in cluster schools. This idea has been strengthen by
Mrs. Orla McCarthy, a VSO volunteer and cluster coordinator in Dessie CTE said that

56
‘‘even though teachers appreciate cluster model, the satellite schools sometimes
complain that CRCs do not share resources’’. This is evident in the study Woredas of
South Wollo Administrative Zone and that again has to be considered seriously in the
future.

The sharing of resources, both material and human, is usually one of the most central
functions of any cluster. This is further supported by Bredenberg and Dahal (2000) who
stated that sharing of experienced personnel among schools facilitate improved local
planning, more opportunities for staff development, improved evaluation, and a host of
other quality improvement imperatives with of course the appropriate improvements in
administrative mechanisms.

Another aspect of human resources exchange is the opportunity it renders in improving

social relations and teachers’ professions. The data in Table 9, Number 5, indicated that
the social relationship among biological science teachers is below the average (45.5%),
indicating again the poor staff exchange experiences. Tilahun Begashaw et al. (2004)
confirmed to this by stating that social relationships were given little attention to school
cluster programs of Dire Dawa Administrative Council school clusters. This indicates that
biological science teachers could not get ample opportunities to meet and discuss by their
own on their profession and social matters such as sport matches and formation of
professional associations.

Integration of the activities of school clustering program with the regular job of biological
science teachers is almost neglected (39.7%) (Table 9, Number 6). The interviews with
Woreda inspectors and the data from summary of open-ended questions showed that
trainings were not given regularly in a sustainable way and the cluster activities were not
planned ahead with teachers’ academic year plan. They added that this was due to lack of
follow-up by cluster coordinators/supervisors in the cluster resource centers.

The school clustering program has put little effort in the planning aspect of teachers’
professional development (Table 9, Number 6), although it has very important for
effective teachers’ professional learning activities (MOE, 2001 and Ayalew Shibeshi
2004). MOE (2001: 13) stated that:

57
 If the clusters are to promote career-long teacher education to
help teachers keep pace with the changing and diversified
systems of instruction, the program has to be continuous and
well planned. Teachers feel that the training programs or
workshops are sporadic and spontaneous.

In relation to teachers’ participation in planning, MOE (2001:15) further added that

teachers should be thoroughly involved in planning, acting as trainers, developers,
coordinators and evaluators of the outcome of school clustering program. This would
make them feel engaged with all activities undergoing in their school, thus encourage
their unreserved participation.

As stated earlier, CRCs are core schools of the satellite (member) schools and hence they
are assumed to be furnished with educational resource materials to be used as source of
teaching aids in training centers and become a model for the satellite school teachers.
However, the data shown in Table 9, Number 7, indicate the opposite (44.3%). The
researchers’ observation of the CRCs also strengthened the result of this data that the
science classrooms and the pedagogical centers were not furnished with biological
science teaching aids except two primary schools, one in Dessie and the other in
Kombolcha. The observations further revealed that most of the first cycles (1-4) of
primary school classrooms became resourceful much better than the second cycle. In the
consultative workshop of supervisors and school directors held in Dessie CTE in February
2007 also raised that large class size, shift system and misunderstanding of SCP as it was
functioning only for the first cycle primary schools were the problems in furnishing of
each classroom. Therefore, BSTs must be assisted by supervisors and the community to
produce biological science teaching aids from locally available materials and in
purchasing at least some basic educational equipment like duplicators, science kits and
microscopes.

In emphasizing the need of educational facilities, Sa’di (2001) described that the modern
world schoolchildren need audio-visual materials, playgrounds, special drawing rooms,
gymnasiums, show rooms and other teaching materials for learning tasks and activities.
Children may be attracted to school if primary schools provided children with these
essential requirements. In the Ethiopian context, this can be compensated with locally

58
made biological science teaching aids through training in school-based professional
development programs.

Continuous assessment methods are recently used in primary schools as effective methods
of assessing students’ performance. Nowadays, the different methods of assessment
techniques are common training topics in cluster schools. These methods were given
more emphasis (in time and content) in the training manuals of supervisors and directors
in the Amhara Region. This could be the reason why most of the biological science
teachers i.e., 65.9% agreed to the proper implementation of continuous assessment (Table
9, Number 8). The responses to the open-ended questions have also supported the idea
that school clustering program has helped most biological science teachers in knowing
and using continuous assessments methods during biology classes.

The use of science kit in teaching biological science contents was given little attention
(39.7%) (Table 9, Number 9). The same result was also found from open-ended questions
collected from supervisors and directors and from focus group discussions of instructors
of natural science departments of Dessie CTE. From the interviews, all of the Woreda
inspectors mentioned the shortage of science kits in primary schools as an important
problem. This indicated that practical teaching of biological science contents which needs
simple experiments were not practiced due to the lack of science kits.

School clustering program did not help BSTs in knowing basic techniques of using
biological science laboratories (22.5%) (Table 9, Number 10). Most of BSTs, supervisors
and school directors mentioned the absence of laboratory classes in primary schools as
gathered from their responses to the open-ended questions. The researcher’s observation
also showed that except in some schools in Dessie and Kombolcha, there were no rooms
designated as science laboratories. Even where some rooms were named to be used for
laboratory practices, they were not organized and equipped as science laboratory classes
except the presence of one or two science kits. It seems that the system operates in a
vacuum without having laboratory classes and equipments.

The overall rating of biological science teachers about school clustering program in
helping them to develop their professional skills was below the average (47.6%) as shown
in the summary of Table 9. This figure indicates that school clustering program needs

59
further support by all concerned organizations and individuals to improve the program
and teachers perceptions to school clustering initiatives.

4.3 Perception Difference Between Urban and Rural BSTs, and Among BSTs with
Different Years of Teaching Experience about the Benefits of SCP for their PD

The data were collected from BSTs concerning their perception about the extent of SCP
used for their PD and tabulated separately to see the perception differences between rural
(Tenta and Wereilu) and urban (Dessie and Kombolcha) Woredas; and among BSTs of
different years of teaching experiences based on ten selected items from the objectives
and activities of cluster schools. The data were organized in to favorable, undecided and
unfavorable categories by summing strongly agree and agree as favorable, undecided as it
was and strongly disagree and disagree as unfavorable (See the raw data in Appendix
table 1 and 2). The data were computed using the chi square method of data analysis with
sample of calculation details attached in Appendix IV.

4.3.1 Perception Differences Between Urban and Rural Woreda BSTs

The biological science teachers of the urban Weredas (Kombolcha and Dessie) primary
schools were assisted almost regularly by USAID/BESO project in terms of supply of
teaching aids, and personnel support by Dessie CTE instructors, VSO volunteers and
supervisors who organized trainings and provided educational materials. Whereas, rural
Woredas (Tenta and Wereilu), teachers were not assisted regularly except the provision of
some programs that trickled down only once or twice a year by external experts. There
were no any supports in terms of educational materials by USAID/BESO. At the outset
there was the expectation that there would be differences in performance between the
urban and rural school clusters. The data were computed with x2 test to see if there is
significant difference in the two cases (urban and rural) (Table 10), below. The raw data
were presented in Appendix Table 1.

60
Table 10: The perception difference between urban and rural Woreda BSTs about
SCP (Urban, N= 45, Rural, N =43)

X2 X2
No Items Computed Critical  : 0.05
Value Value
1 Teaching efficiency 15.06 5.99 * P < 0.05
2 Experience sharing 0.64 5.99
3 Material Resource sharing 2.26 5.99
4 Human Resource sharing 0.52 5.99
5 Improving Social relations 5.54 5.99
6 Including to academic year plan 3.44 5.99
7 Resourcefulness of CRCs 1.32 5.99
8 Use of continuous assessment 1.15 5.99
9 Use of science kit 0.71 5.99
10 Aware of laboratory basics skills 2.28 5.99
Overall 14.02 5.99 * P < 0.05
* Significant at P < 0.05

According to Table 10, there was an overall statistically significant difference of

perception between urban and rural Woredas BSTs as to the importance of SCP to
develop their profession. Therefore, the expectation that there may be differences in
perception between urban and rural Woredas BSTs was accepted at P<0.05 level. While
observing each of the benefits of SCP, the two groups of teachers (rural and urban) had
similar perception except in the importance of SCP for improving teaching efficiency of
BSTs at P< 0.05 levels of significance. In this respect, rural Woredas teachers have better
perception than urban Woredas teachers to school clustering program in its use of
improving their teaching efficiency of biological science. Similar results from teachers of
Namibian cluster schools were obtained, and stated that:

Large and successful schools in urban areas which have

adequate teaching resources, tend to regard school clustering as
a burden rather than an advantage as the time of their staff is

61
 already taken up with internal management and training
activities (Ward, 2006:4).

In addition to this, most of the urban Woreda teachers had more years of teaching
experience than rural Woreda teachers who were mostly beginners. Beginner teachers
were more benefited from in-service programs than experienced teachers (Jane, 1999).
These might be the other reasons that rural Woreda teachers have better perception to
school clustering program than urban Woreda biological science teachers.

4.3.2 Perception Difference Among BSTs of Different Years of Teaching

Experience About the Benefits of SCP

The responses of biological science teachers of the four Woredas were collected and
organized as explained above depending on the given ten items. The raw data were
presented in Appendix Table 2. These data were converted using chi square (X2) method
of data analysis (Table 11).

Table 11: Perception difference among BSTs of different years of teaching

experience about the benefits of SCP to their PD

X2 Computed X2 Critical
No Items Value Value  : 0.05
1 Improving teaching efficiency 26.08 9.49 * P < 0.05
2 Experience sharing 2.65 9.49
3 Material Resource sharing 2.75 9.49
4 Human Resource sharing 0.44 9.49
5 Improving Social relations 3.51 9.49
6 Including to academic year plan 4.64 9.49
7 Resourcefulness of CRCs 12.99 9.49 * P < 0.05
8 Use of continuous assessment 9.59 9.49 * P < 0.05
9 Use of science kit 4.33 9.49
10 Aware of basic skills of laboratory 5.85 9.49
Overall 26.67 9.49 * P < 0.05
* Significant at P < 0.05

62
As indicated in Table 11, above, generally regarding the ten mentioned dimensions, there
was statistically significant difference of perception among BSTs at different years of
teaching experience about the benefits of SCP for their PD. As to the benefits of SCP in
improving teaching efficiency, making CRCs resourceful and in using continuous
assessment, there were statistically significant differences in perception among teachers
of different years of teaching experience at P<0.05 level of significance. Therefore, SCP
helped those of the BSTs who had mainly low years (0-5) of teaching experiences as
Table 11 of items 1, 7 and 8, and Appendix Table 2 of appendix IV.

This finding goes with the idea of Jane (1999) who communicated his idea concerning the
importance of school clustering program for the professional development of beginner
teachers. Summary of a research by Jane (1999:1) found that as a result of network
participation (SCP), new teachers have:

a) shown improvement in their professional practices

b) demonstrated a deeper understanding of subject matter knowledge
c) implemented standards-based instruction in their own classrooms
d) gained confidence in their own teaching
e) acquired and participated in creating teaching resources
f) used a readily available support system
g) sought further professional development in addition to the network
h) taken in leadership roles at school in their profession
i) collaborated with peers regularly, and
j) reported great job satisfaction.

In addition to the above advantages of clustering to new teachers, their interest to

clustering was also appreciated. Mrs. Orla McCarthy, a VSO volunteer working as cluster
coordinator and trainer in Dessie CTE, from her two years of in-service teacher trainer
experience in primary school of Dessie and the surrounding Woredas, she stated that:

Younger teachers do not ask per diem and other incentives and
are very interested in the training. Middle aged teachers seem
the best at implementing what they learn in trainings. Older
teachers often ask per diem and some male older teachers think
they know everything already.

63
One can conclude from this that younger or less experienced teachers had positive
attitude towards school clustering program than more experienced teachers as supported
by the data, from the literature and interviews.

4.4 Conditions Facilitating the Role of SCP for the PD of BSTs

Biological science teachers were asked to mark their choice from among suggested
elements that they believed would enhance the role of SCP for their professional
development. The following nine items were listed and the percentages were used by
categorizing them into yes and no for the marked and unmarked items, respectively. The
items were prioritized to show the extent of their impact as rated by respondents.

Table 12: Suggested solutions that enhance the use of SCP for effective PD of
teachers (N = 88)

Yes No Priority
No Items No % No % Focus
1 Decentralizing CRCs to empower teachers 70 79.5 18 20.5 1
2 Reduce school directors work load 63 71.6 25 28.4 2
3 Incentives for the trainings given 53 60.2 35 39.8 3
4 Undertake sustainable experience sharing
exercises 50 56.5 38 43.2 4
5 Making CRCs resourceful 49 55.7 39 44.3 5
6 Need assessment study ahead of
implementation 47 53.4 41 46.6 6
7 Improving joint planning experiences 46 52.3 42 47.7 7
8 Supplying awareness trainings 43 48.9 45 51.1 8
9 Establishing committed and responsible
cluster committee 25 28.4 63 71.6 9
Overall 446 56.3 346 43.7

As depicted in Table 12, above, the overall results (56.3%) have indicated the positive
roles of the listed nine elements in facilitating the cluster activities if more attention is
given to each of them. The same table also showed the extent of the impact each item as

64
ranked by biological science teachers of primary schools of second cycle in the study
areas. (Note: Prioritization is made based on the data for the “yes” responses).

Among the suggested elements which could facilitate SCP, decentralized administration
to empower CRCs was ranked first (79.5%) according to Table 12. In support of this
result, greater school autonomy or decentralization according to UNESCO-EFA, (2005)
report suggested that a more democratic system allows participating teachers and parents
to interact freely. Rebecca et al. (2003) also added that teachers feel generally secure in
the school and become confident in their ability to deal with changes. Bredenberg and
Dahal (2000) emphasized that a policy commitment to decentralized control of schools is
a precondition for clustering to succeed.

Empowerment and participation of teachers in school reforms can result in a remarkable

change in education quality. The study of Craig et al. (1998) in Leu (2004:8) stated that:

When teachers are actively involved and empowered in the

reform of their own classrooms and schools, even those teachers
with minimal levels of education and training are capable of
changing the classroom environment and improving the
achievement of their students.

Therefore, from the above information, it is possible to conclude that empowerment of

teachers through decentralization can enable teachers to seek solutions by their own and
improve educational quality at school levels.

The second prioritized item according to Table 12 was to reduce the school directors’
workload (71.6%). School directors’ role in clustering is very significant. As Bredenberg
and Dahal (2000) and Rebecca et al. (2003) mentioned that directors are decision makers,
coordinators, planners, and initiators. Monitoring, mentoring and mobilization of
professional resources are primarily facilitated by school directors. The Amhara Region
Education Bureau, AREB, (1997 E.C.) cluster guideline listed the duties and
responsibilities of the resource cluster school (core school) and the satellite schools. The
core school is responsible for sharing and distributing material resources, and serves as a
center of training and coordination. This indicated that especially directors of CRCs had

65
greater workloads than the directors of satellite schools. This needs some mechanisms of
reducing directors’ workload.

According to Dittmar et al. (2002:13) from experiences of many cluster schools in

Namibia, workloads of school directors should not be perceived as a problem since cluster
center principals can delegate some of their responsibilities to senior teachers, department
heads and others. Such collaborative work empowers and involves more and more
teachers and brings stakeholders close together. This motivates them to do their work
well, especially when they are given authority and their contributions are recognized.

The third main facilitating agent of PD according to Table 12 was incentives for the
trainings given (60.2%). Supporting this, as Ayalew Shibeshi (2004:30) pointed out that
lack of credit for the training programs and lack of incentives and rewards for excelling
teachers make teachers retract from initial commitments.

This is in agreement with the MOE (2001) cluster manual that recognizes carrier
development as a form of incentive for those teachers that implement the objectives of
SCP. To that effect the manual stated that teachers’ career structure is mainly to improve
teachers’ professional competency, develop high sense of commitment and a great faith in
the value of what they are doing; persons with great respect for themselves, their students
and learning. This can be achieved by an active participation of teachers in planning,
coordinating, implementing and evaluating such in-service programs. The manual
stressed that teachers’ involvement and level of contribution in this initiative have to be
systematically recorded and linked to their career promotion. The need for recognition
and some form of incentives have also been brought out at the interviews with national
and international teaching personnel.

The other factor which has been rated to be determinant factor according to Table 12 was
the sustainability of the experience sharing mechanisms. Most of the respondents (56.8%)
argued that experience sharing programs must be continuous and permanently
established. To this effect, NAS (2005) and Leu (2004) and School District of
Philadelphia (2006) have pointed out that professional development does not rely on
occasional workshops; it needs continual observation, practices being coached and
reflections made. MOE (2001) further strengthened this idea in that ongoing provision of

66
support and encouragement are required if CSP is destined to achieve its goals. Therefore,
professional development for biological science teachers at the school level must be
continuous and life-long as science contents, teaching methods and the general school and
educational policy scenarios are dynamic processes.

According to the data and summary of the open-ended questions, many teachers do not
meet frequently to discuss and share experiences. Ayalew Shibeshi (2004) has also
observed that teachers complained about the sporadic and spontaneous nature of trainings
or workshops. These irregularities could have negative consequences on teachers’
participation in school-based professional development programs.

The other elements which could facilitate school clustering program for effective
professional development of biological science teachers according to Table 12 were
making CRCs resourceful (55.7%), need assessment study ahead of implementation
(53.4%), improving joint planning exercises (52.3%), supplying of awareness trainings
(48.9%) and establishing a cluster committee (28.4%).

CRCs are training centers for all teachers of the cluster member schools. According to the
respondents these centers should be resourceful in pedagogical materials (teaching aids),
experts, educational equipments and facilities for effective trainings (Table 12, Number 5;
55.7%). It is therefore understood that core schools should be the places where meetings,
techniques, teaching aids production, and community affairs are taking place and where
the libraries, workshops and other resources should be located (MOEYS, 2000). From the
researcher’s semi-structured observations and summary of open-ended questions, except
very few CRCs in Kombolcha and Dessie, most CRCs were poorly organized and lack
material and human resources. This obviously calls for the concerted efforts of all
stakeholders to reorganize the CRCs and satellite schools that are attached to them.

Need assessment was considered as an important factor to facilitate professional

development of teachers which was positively rated at 53.4% (Table 12, Number 6). It
was reported by Rebecca et al. (2003), MOE (2001) and Ayalew Shibeshi (2004) teachers
and supervisors that conducting training need analysis with the trainees at the very
beginning of the academic year by distributing assessment forms and every school should
be included in the initial activities at the beginning of each academic year. Since the

67
system is established in the Amhara Region, supervisors should be motivated enough to
assess training needs and work with teachers in participatory approach. Based on the
long-term vision, cluster schools plan and moderate their activities together (MOEYS,
2000 and Dittmar et al., 2002).

Supplying of awareness training and establishing cluster committees as facilitating

mechanisms of SCP for PD of teachers were chosen by less than 50% of the BSTs (Table
12, Numbers 8 and 9). This may be due to that the trained supervisors assigned in each
CRC must have already taken over the duties and responsibilities of cluster school
committees.

4.5 Obstacles Hindering BSTs from Utilizing the Benefits of SCP

The data collected from respondents were organized into two tables, one from urban
(Dessie and Kombolcha) Woredas (Table 13) and the other from rural (Tenta and
Wereilu) Woredas (Table 14) biological science teachers of second cycle primary schools.
These possible listed problems in the closed-ended questions were analyzed in
percentages and supported by interviews and open-ended questions.

4.5.1 Problems Facing BSTs in the Urban Woredas

Nine possible problems were listed and 45 respondents participated in ranking the
problems depending on the impact each had in utilizing the benefits of SCP. The data was
calculated in percentages as shown in Tables 13, below.

68
Table 13: Problems hindering BSTs in utilizing the benefits of SCP as prioritized by urban Woreda teachers (N=45)

Frequency of respondents to each questions (column 1)

Priority
No Possible obstacles 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 % 7 % 8 % 9 %
1 Distance from CRC 4 8.8 2 4.4 10 22.2 4 8.8 6 13.3 8 17.7 5 11.1 4 8.8 - - 8th
2 Absence of experienced
9th
personnel 5 11.1 6 13.3 5 11.1 7 15.5 6 13.3 6 13.3 4 8.8 2 4.4 3 6.66
3 Loss of interest for
6th
trainings 2 4.4 4 8.8 6 13.3 7 15.5 8 17.7 12 26.6 4 8.8 2 4.4 - -
4 Training are not given
7th
value for teachers’ career 5 11.1 6 13.3 5 11.1 8 17.7 10 22.2 4 8.8 6 13.3 1 2.2 - -
5 Unsustainable training in
3rd
CRC 6 13.3 9 20 16 35.5 10 22.2 3 6.66 1 2.2 - - - - - -
6 Inefficient school leaders 5 11.1 7 15.5 11 24.4 17 37.7 4 8.88 1 2.2 - - - - - - 4th
7 Lack of support from
1st
WEO 17 37.7 12 26.6 9 20 5 11.1 2 4.44 - - - - - - - -
8 Low support from
2nd
supervisor 9 20 18 40 8 17.7 7 15.5 2 4.44 1 2.2 - - - - - -
9 Unwillingness to share
5th
materials 1 2.2 5 11.1 6 13.3 8 17.7 16 35.5 5 11.1 3 6.6 1 2.2 - -

69
 4.5.2 Problems Facing Teachers in the Rural Woredas
Table 14: Obstacles hindering BSTs in utilizing SCP benefits as prioritized by rural Woreda teachers (N=43)

Frequency of respondents to each questions (column 1)

Priority
No Possible obstacles 1 % 2 % 3 % 4 % 5 % 6 % 7 % 8 % 9 %
1 Distance from CRC 2 4.65 6 13.9 5 11.6 9 20.9 13 30.2 5 11.6 1 2.3 - - - - 5th
2 Absence of experienced
personnel 1 2.32 4 9.3 8 17.7 9 20.9 9 20.9 8 18.6 3 6.9 - - - - 6th
3 Loss of interest for
trainings - - 1 2.32 3 6.97 6 13.9 10 23.2 4 9.3 3 6.9 5 11.6 8 18.6 9th
4 Training are not given
value for teachers’ career 1 2.32 1 2.32 3 6.97 8 18.6 9 20.93 4 9.3 5 11.2 8 18.6 2 4.6 8th
5 Unsustainable training in
CRC 2 4.65 3 6.97 6 13.9 13 30.2 10 23.2 5 11.2 1 2.3 1 2.3 - - 4th
6 Inefficient school leaders 9 20.9 12 27.9 8 18.6 6 13.9 5 11.2 1 2.3 - - - - - - 2nd
7 Lack of support from
WEO 19 44.1 10 23.2 8 18.6 5 11.6 1 2.32 - - - - - - - - 1st
8 Low support from
supervisor 6 13.9 8 18.6 16 37.2 10 23.2 2 4.65 1 2.3 - - - - - - 3rd
9 Unwillingness to share
materials 1 2.32 3 6.97 4 9.3 5 11.6 7 16.2 6 13.9 10 23.2 3 6.9 2 4.6 7th

70
According to Table 13 and 14, BSTs in the cluster schools of both the rural and urban
Woredas prioritized the problems from one up to nine. The possible problems were listed in
the close-ended questions. The order of severity of the problems came out in almost similar
patterns in both cases. The first four most important problems were almost the same (lack of
support from the Woreda education offices, low support from supervisors, unsustainable
training programs at CRC and inefficient school leaders) for both urban and rural Woredas.
Distance from CRC in rural Weredas and unwillingness to share resource materials in urban
Woredas were ranked at the fifth important problems in both cases. The first ranked problem
by both rural and urban Woredas in common was lack of support from Woreda education
offices.

As respondents prioritized it, primary problem of the cluster system was lack of support from
officials. Supporting this, Ayalew Shibeshi (2004) stated that the key constraints facing the
SCP were diminishing enthusiasm and commitment from authorities, lack of sufficient and
qualified personnel at the Woreda level and high turnover of education officials. AED/BESO
(2005), Tilahun Begashaw et al. (2004) and Tsegaye Nigussie (2005:7) added that inadequate
budgeting for running school cluster support programs and poor supervision services were
major problems of CRCs, which are all the responsibilities of WEO.

The duties and responsibilities of Woreda education offices were stated in cluster manuals
(MOE, 2001 and AREB, 1997 E.C.) with special emphasis on establishing, supporting and
evaluating the cluster program. Woreda education offices were referred to as the most
directly responsible bodies that should establish clusters, organize resource centers, assign
budget, evaluate the program, establishing efficient school management and take measures to
serve as link between regional education offices and cluster centers and are responsible for
the distribution of information, circulars and equipments amongst clusters (MOE, 2001:14;
AREB, 1997 E.C; Dittmar et al., 2002 and Ayalew Shibeshi, 2004).

Lack of support from supervisors and school directors was another important problem facing
biological science teachers in both rural and urban Woredas (Table 13 and 14). In support of
this result, (Ayalew Shibeshi, 2004 and AED/BESO, 2005) found out that frequent transfer of

71
key teachers (now, supervisors in the Amhara Region) and head teachers, and heavy work
loads on teachers were drawbacks of school clustering programs. Ayalew Shibeshi (2004)
added that lack of efficient school management and lack of sufficient and efficient follow-up
and monitoring were identified as the obstacles of the program.

In support of the above idea, the supervisors’ role is critical to the success of cluster
initiatives. The coordinators workload could be minimized (MOE, 2001). Leadership is
critical, whether in the context of greater school autonomy or not (UNESCO - EFA, 2005 and
Kassahun (2001) as in Getu Tadesse (2006:20-21)). Thus, Amhara Regional Education
Bureau assigned trained cluster coordinators (supervisors) in each CRC and their duties and
responsibilities were stated in the cluster guide as they are the most important figures in
cluster initiatives (AREB, 1997 E.C). The supervisors, therefore, can bring change in
teachers’ learning at school level if they are motivated to help teachers.

Interviews made with Wereilu and Tenta Woredas education office inspectors (one from each
Woreda), about the problems facing SCP, they argued on the same idea as follows.

In Amhara Region, school clustering program is given more emphasis

and now it is in a good shape. The assignment of trained supervisors
in each cluster resource center motivated teachers to share
experiences and give training like the use of science kit for teaching
science. The problem is the transfer of supervisors to other
responsibilities and some withdraw from their jobs. Thus, some
cluster centers have no supervisors. In these schools, the coordination
of satellite schools is not as previous commitments.

The researcher’s experience and observations during data collection also supported the above
idea. Some cluster centers in both Woredas had no supervisors due to transfer to other job
opportunities. These schools’ teachers didn’t participate in science kit training that was given
to all supervisors in all teacher education colleges in the Amhara Region in order to train
science teachers in 2006/2007 academic year.

72
Long distances from CRC for rural Woredas and unwillingness to share material resources
for urban Woredas were rated as problems in hindering the use of cluster benefits according
to Tables 13 and 14. In rural Woredas schools are very far apart from each other. Teachers
must travel long distances to go to CRCs for trainings. Tiresome travel diminishes
enthusiasm and commitment of teachers especially when the travel expenses are not covered
and there are no incentives (Ayalew Shibeshi, 2004).

In both rural and urban Woredas, there are shortages of educational resources, even when
some materials are available. There is unwillingness to share them as gathered from the
responses given to the open-ended questions. According to Tilahun Begashaw et al. (2004:
69) there is no clearly defined institutional arrangements (rules and principles) followed in
resource sharing. It seems that the system operates in a vacuum without having clear
guidelines, statistics on needs and monitoring distributions.

The summary of open-ended questions and the interview of instructors of natural science
departments in Dessie CTE also showed that the problem encountering cluster schools was
the absence of resources in the CRCs. Most respondents said that there were no duplicating
machines, type writers and teaching aids. The absence of science laboratories, chemicals,
absence of libraries, biological science reference books, lack of budget, shortage of science
kits, teachers’ intentions and request of incentives, discontinuity of trainings and shortage of
stationery materials were the major problems listed by most of the respondents.

73
 5. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary

The main purpose of the study was to assess, identify and repot the significance of school
clustering on the professional development of second cycle primary schools biological
science teachers, the challenges facing and the conditions facilitating the program.

All biological science teachers of the four Woredas were involved in the study as the main
source of data. All supervisors, school directors, WEO education office inspectors of the
selected Woredas, two AREB experts and instructors of natural science department in Dessie
CTE have also participated in this study. The main instruments used to collect the necessary
data were questionnaires. Interview, semi-structured observations and focus group
discussions were also used to support the data collected through questionnaires.

Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to analyze the data. The data collected
through questionnaires were analyzed using percentages and chi-square methods. Chi-square
was applied to see whether there is a significant difference in perception among teachers with
different years of teaching experience and between teachers teaching in urban and rural areas
on the perception of teachers about school clustering program.

Significant proportions (64.7%) of the respondents found to have considerable awareness

about the significance of school clustering program for their professional development.
Moreover, the awareness of biological science teachers’ in the rural Woredas (Tenta and
Wereilu) and in the urban Woredas (Kombolcha and Dessie) was almost at the same level
62.7% and 66.6%, respectively. However, from the researcher’s experience, the presence of a
significant percent of unaware teachers (31.8%) should not be ignored since trained
supervisors and directors were assigned in each of the cluster resource center (CRC).

The study showed that teachers had positive attitudes towards SCP in developing their
professions. About 57.3 % of the respondents (BSTs) assured that it is a significant program
and has to be continued as a means of PD strategy. Most of the BSTs (76.1 %) of the

74
respondents agreed that SCP helped them in improving their teaching practice. Moreover,
most of the supervisors and school directors (92%) were also assured the relevance of school
clustering program for the professional development of BSTs.

Experience sharing as one of the goals of SCP was related to professional development
strategy. Most of the respondents (65.9 %) of BSTs argued that school clustering program
helped them in sharing experiences. Experience sharing opportunities were the reasons for
better development of social relations and teachers’ profession. However, social relationships
were given little attention in that cluster programs. Hence, BSTs should have been given the
chance to meet and discuss by their own about their profession and social matters like sport
competitions.

Resource sharing, both human and material resource, is another fundamental objective of
school clustering programs. However, material and human resource sharing opportunities
were below average 42 % and 36.3 %, respectively. This showed that resource sharing in the
study areas was poorly practiced and it was commented that it has to be improved in the
future.

Biological science teachers were not motivated to produce teaching aids from ‘no cost or low
cost’ i.e., locally available materials, to compensate imported and expensive equipments and
teaching aids.

Continuous assessment methods were recently used in primary schools as effective methods
of assessing students’ performance. The different methods of assessment techniques were
common training titles in cluster schools. These methods were given more emphasis (in time
and content) in the training manuals of supervisors and directors of the Amhara Region. This
was taken as the reason why most of biological science teachers (65.9 %) agreed that
continuous assessment methods were one of the benefits of school clustering programs.

The use of science kit in teaching biological science contents was given little attention, for
example only 39.7 % of the respondents agreed that school clustering programs helped

75
biological science teachers to use science kit and to teach basic techniques of using biological
science laboratories. Most biological science teachers, supervisors and school directors
mentioned the absence of laboratory rooms and facilities in primary schools and became
prominent obstacles for professional development of biological science teachers.

Significant differences of perceptions were observed between urban and rural Woredas BSTs
about school clustering for their professional development. While observing each of the
activities of school clustering program, the two groups of teachers (rural and urban) had
similar perceptions except in improving teaching efficiency of BSTs at P< 0.05 level of
significance. In this respect, rural Woreda teachers had better perceptions than urban Woreda
teachers to SCP in improving their teaching efficiency of biological science. There was also
an overall significant difference in perception about SCP among BSTs with different years of
teaching experiences.

In addition to this, most of the urban Woreda teachers have more years of teaching
experience than rural Woreda teachers who are mostly beginners. Beginner teachers are more
benefited from in-service programs than experienced teachers. This might be the other reason
why rural Woreda teachers had positive attitude to SCP than urban Woreda BSTs.

Despite the successful efforts of the clustering program, there are still many problems with
both rural and urban Woredas BSTs.
 Lack of support from Woreda education offices might have been caused by lack
of commitment from authorities, lack of sufficient and qualified personnel at the
Woreda level and high turnover of education officials. These all indicated that
education officials were not assisting school clusters as expected even though
their responsibilities and contributions could have been as decisive as explained in
cluster manuals.

 Inadequate budgeting for running school cluster support program was one of the
problems facing BSTs. Woreda Education Offices did not actively and efficiently
support the school clusters’ activities.

76
  Even though the role of supervisors is critical to the success of cluster initiatives,
lack of support from supervisors and school directors was another problem faced
by biological science teachers in both rural and urban Woredas. This might be due
to frequent transfer of key teachers (now, supervisors in the Amhara Region) and
head teachers, and heavy workloads.

 Long distance of schools from CRCs in rural Woredas was chosen as one of the
important drawbacks that hinder the effective utilization of the benefits of SCP. In
rural Woredas, schools are very far apart from each other. Therefore, teachers
have to travel long distances to the CRCs for training purposes. Tiresome travel
diminishes enthusiasm and commitment of teachers especially when travel
expenses are not covered and when there is no incentives for teachers are given.

 Unwillingness to share material resources with other schools was seen as another
important drawback in both rural and urban Woreda CRCs. This might be due to
the scarcity of resources, absence of rules for sharing, and fear of the risks of
losses and damages of these materials.

5.2 Conclusion

The information collected through the questionnaires, interview, observations and focus
group discussions were narrated, tabulated, discussed and analyzed, and the following
conclusions were made.

5.2.1 Most of the BSTs of primary schools of second cycle, supervisors and school
directors were aware of the relevance of SCP for PD of biological science
teachers and argued that it has to be strengthened as a means of educational
quality improvement strategy.

5.2.2 Even though teachers have good perceptions about SCP, their overall view
about SCP as the results obtained from the ten items indicated that SCP didn’t

77
 help BSTs in developing their professions. This is for the fact that only 47.6%
of the respondents were supported by the use of SCP. This figure indicated that
SCP needs further support by all concerned organizations and individuals to
make it valuable in improving the professional development of teachers.

5.2.3 There was an overall significant difference of perception between urban and
rural Woredas of biological science teachers as to the use of SCP for the
development of their profession. Therefore, the expectation that says there may
be difference in perception between urban and rural Woredas BSTs was
accepted. In trying to compare the responses of urban and rural teachers for each
of the items, the two groups of teachers (rural and urban) had similar perception
in all the items except in item that says improving teaching efficiency of BSTs
at P < 0.05 levels of significance. This needs close assessment to minimize the
difference. There was also an overall significant difference in perception about
SCP among BSTs with different years of teaching experiences.

5.2.4 Among the conditions or facilitating agents of school clustering program,

decentralized CRCs to empower teachers, reduce school directors’ workload,
incentives for the trainings given, making sustainable experience sharing
exercises and making CRCs resourceful were reported as important factors
facilitating SCP. As to most of the respondents, these conditions could help
BSTs to improve their professions.

5.3 Recommendations

In light of the discussions made in previous chapters, the following recommendations are
forwarded:

5.3.1 Meeting the financial requirements of the ever increasing number of schools and
high enrollment of students is a formidable challenge for poor countries like
Ethiopia. For this reason school clustering program is a principal mode of delivering

78
 continuing professional development for teachers in a cost effective way. To
achieve the needed quality in education and to make students use the acquired
knowledge for life, teachers should be motivated to share professional knowledge
effectively in the form of school clustering system in a sustainable way. Hence
mechanisms should be developed by concerned bodies that enable school clustering
program to be used effectively for the professional development of BSTs.

5.3.2 The pre-service teachers have little or no ideas about school clustering programs
according to the interview made with cluster coordinators of Dessie CTE.
Therefore, there should be awareness raising classes about school clustering and use
of in-service professional development programs while they are in their colleges.

5.3.3 Teachers did not recognize the value of their experiences. This might affect them in
sharing experiences among each other freely and openly. Supervisors and school
directors must motivate teachers to share what they know since different teachers
have different experiences that are valuable in developing teaching efficiencies of
biological science teachers in school clustering arrangements.

5.3.4 Most of the trainings held in the CRCs were focused on pedagogical skills.
Biological science teachers should also be given the chance to discuss on biological
science subject knowledge and social relationships by their own in the cluster
schools.

5.3.5 Biological science teachers must be assisted by donors, WEO, supervisors and the
community to produce biological science teaching aids from ‘low cost or non cost
materials’ (locally available materials) to make their classes resourceful and in
purchasing of at least some basic educational equipments like duplicators, science
kits and microscopes for effective implementation of school clustering program.

5.3.6 In order to motivate the participation of biological science teachers, supervisors and
school directors should make SCP a means for effective professional development

79
 of teachers and WEO should create competitive situations to select and award
material and certificate incentives.

5.3.7 The Woreda education officials should be empowered by assigning sufficient and
qualified personnel and the high turnover of education officials should be
minimized using different incentives to accomplish the delegated responsibilities
and contributions as explained in cluster manuals.

5.3.8 Even though the level of significant difference was not considerable, there were
perception differences between urban and rural area teachers and among BSTs of
different years of teaching experiences about SCP. The AREB and WEO must come
up with some sort of mechanisms that can alleviate these differences. Incentives and
training must be organized giving more emphasis to school clustering program to
minimize the gap created.

5.3.9 Empowerment of BSTs through decentralization can enable teachers to seek

solutions by their own and improve educational quality at school level.

5.3.10 In addition to this, adequate budgeting for running school cluster programs should
be allocated by the Amhara Regional Education Bureau, Woreda Education Offices
and should also be supported by community participation.

5.3.11 Workload of school directors should be minimized since they are busy in
coordinating cluster activities. WEO should make aware and allow school directors
to delegate at least some responsibilities to their co-workers.

5.3.12 The role of supervisors is critical to the success of cluster initiatives. Therefore,
supervisors and school directors should be committed and WEO inspectors should
design supervision services to support the school cluster initiatives so that biological
science teachers could improve their profession in both rural and urban Woredas.

80
5.3.13 Trainings and experience sharing programs should be planned together with the
participation of biological science teachers of all the cluster member schools taking
as one of the components of their annual activities of the academic year. Joint
planning was not coordinated by supervisors. Based on the long-term vision, cluster
schools should plan and moderate their activities together under the supervision of
cluster coordinators (supervisors).

5.3.14 Unsustainable training given for both rural and urban Woredas teachers was
mentioned as an important drawback of school-based professional development.
The implementation of the trainings should be supervised by Woreda inspectors
regularly since it de-motivates interested teachers coming from satellite schools for
school cluster activities.

5.3.15 Unwillingness in both rural and urban Woredas to share material resources with
other schools due to their scarcity of and fearing the risks of losses and damages of
these materials should be solved by discussions and developing rules and
mechanisms of sharing communal resources.

5.3.16 This work is limited to specific schools. For more concrete recommendations on
school clustering systems and their role in the professional development of teachers
should be studied or investigated for a longer period covering a wide range of
schools in the country.

5.3.17 One other aspect this study did not attempt to investigate was the financial costs of
an effectively operating school clustering program. This is another area where
investigations should be conducted in the future, of course, in relation to the
country’s economic capabilities.

5.3.18 So long as the aim of clustering schools is to improve the professional capacity of
teachers and thereby improve the quality of learning, alternative ways of
professional development of teachers should also be surveyed.

81
 6. REFERENCES

AED/BESO (2005). Cluster Schools Programs in TEIs of Ethiopia, Experience from Debre-
Birhan, Dessie and Harar Teacher Education Institutions, Addis Ababa, (unpublished).

AED/BESO (1996 E.C.). Organization and Management Guide of Clustered Schools, Addis
Ababa, AED/BESO project, (Unpublished). p.20

Amare Asgedom , Daniel D., Derebssa D., and Wanna L. (2006). Ethiopia Pilot Study of
Teachers’ Professional Development. Quality in Education Teaching and Learning:
Perceptions and Practice, Institute of Educational Research, Addis Ababa University with
Academy of Educational Research (AED) American Institute for Research, p.33.

American Educational Research Association (AERA) (2005). Teaching Teachers:

Professional Development to Improve Student Achievement, the American Educational
Research Association, Washington DC: Summer 2005, Volume 3, Issue 1, pp, 1-2.

AREB (1997 E.C). Organization and Management Guide of Amhara Region Primary Schools
Clustering, Bahir Dar, Amhara Region Education Bureau, pp. 6, 14-20.

Arends R. I. (1994). Learning to Teach, 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill, Inc, New York, pp.432-439.

Ayalew Shibeshi (2004). A Review of the Status and Performances of UNICEF Supported
School Clusters in Ethiopia. A Report Submitted to UNICEF Education Section, Addis
Ababa: (Unpublished), pp. 2, 8-20, 30.

Barrow, K. and Lue, E. (2006). Perception of Ethiopian Teachers and Principals on Quality
of Education. American Institutes of Research (AIR) and Academy for Educational
Development, U.S. Agency for International Development, p.1.

Bekalo, A. S. and Welford, G. A. (2000). Practical activity in Ethiopian Secondary Physical

Science. Implication for Policy and Practice of the Match between the Intended and
Implemented Curriculum. The Ethiopia Journal of Education, Addis Ababa, 20(2):93.

Bell, J. (1999). Doing Your Research Project: A Guide for First Time Researchers in
Education and Social Sciences, 3rd ed. London: Open University Press.230p.

82
 REFERENCES (Continued)

Best J.W. and Kahn J.V. (1998). Research in Education, 7th ed., Prentice Hall of India, New
Delhi, 435p.

Bredenberg, K. and Dahal, N. (2000). Can School Clustering Enhance Educational

Effectiveness? Promises and pitfalls, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, (Unpublished), p. 3.

Dean, J. (2001). Organizing Learning in the Primary School Classroom, 3rd ed. London and
New York: Routledge Falmer, Taylor and Francis Group, p.3.

Cham, K. (1997). A Training Manual for Resource Center Managers in Primary School
Clusters. Provincial Office of Education, Youth and Sports, Cambodia, p.2.

Dittmar, F., Mendelsohn, J. and Ward V. (2002). The school Cluster System in Namibia:
Framework for Quality Education. Raison Research and Information Services of Namibia,
Windhoek. 39p.

EQ Review (2004). Educational Quality in the Developing World: Cluster Schools and
Teacher Professional Development. Bimonthly Newsletter, U.S Agency for International
Development (USAID), 2(2):1-4.

Finch, C. (1999). Using Professional Development to Meet Teachers’ Changing Needs: What
We Have Learned, Preparing Teachers for Change. National Center for Research, University
of California, Barkley, Number 2, pp 1-3.

Freer, K. (2007). Flora Hill Cluster: Thinking, Connecting, Engaging in Learning.

Professional Development, Creating and Supporting a Performance and Development
Culture. (Website: http://www.florahill.vic.edu.au./cluster/proof%20devt.htm), pp. 1-2.

Getu Tadesse (2006). Understanding School Clustering and Professional Development

Gonder College of Teacher Education, (unpublished), pp. 1-6, 15, 20, 21.

Graan, M.V. and Leu, E. (2006) Namibia Pilot Study of Teacher Professional Development.
Quality in Education, Teaching and Learning: Perceptions and Practice. American Institute
for Research with Academy for Educational Development, Namibia, p.8.

83
 REFERENCES (Continued)

Jane, R.F. (1999). Learning Exchange: Professional Development Highlights, Los Angeles
Educational Partnership. Website: http://www.lalc.k12.ca.us/essay/9-77-99/pdshighligts.htm/

Kahle, J.B. (1999). Teacher Professional Development: Does it make a Difference in Student
Learning? Testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science,
Washington, DC: pp. 5-6.

Leu, E. (2004). The Patterns and Purposes of School-based and Cluster Teacher Professional
Development Programs. Working Paper Number 2 under EQUIP1’s Study of School-based
Teacher In-service Programs and Clustering of Schools, U.S Agency for International
Development, pp, 1-3, and 6-8.

Loucks-Horsley, S. Stiles, K. and Hewson, P. (1996). Principles of Effective Professional

Development for Mathematics and Science Education: A Synthesis of Standards, National
Institute for Science Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, 1(1):1-4.

MacNeil, D.J. (2004). School- and Cluster-based Teacher Professional Development:

Bringing Teacher Learning to the Schools. EQUIP1’s Study of School-Based Teacher
In-service Programs and Clustering of Schools, World Education, Inc. U.S Agency for
International Development (USAID), p.4.

MOE (2001). The Cluster Schools Initiatives. Planning and Implementing School – Based
Resource Centers and Staff Development for Teachers: A Hand Book of Guidance, Addis
Ababa, MOE, pp. 3, 8-18, 28.

MOEYS (2000). Cluster School Guidelines, Kingdom of Cambodia, MOEYS. 50p.

National Academy of Science (NAS) (2005). Teacher Professional Development, Standards

for Professional Development for Teachers of Science, (Website:
http://books.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/4.html ), pp 4, 10, 13-14. (Website:
http://www.nas.edu/rise/backg4.htm ). Washington DC, pp 1-2.

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) (2006). Professional Development in Science

Education. NSTA Position Statement, NSTA Board of Directors, pp. 1-4.

84
 REFERENCES (Continued)

Nkumbi, E., Warioba, L., and Komba, W. (2006). Capacity of Primary School Management
for Professional Development in Selected Primary Schools in Tanzania. A Paper Presented
at the African – Asian Dialogue Seminar Held at the United Nations University, Tokyo, 10th
March, 2006, pp. 3.

Osborne, J. (2000). Science for Citizenship: Good Practice in Science Teaching, What
Research Has to Say, Open University Press, Manchester. p227.

Rebecca, C. Cecilia A. and Stephanie, M. (2003). A Guidance Document for School

Clustering: A Hand Book to Introduce the Concept of School Clustering. VSO Ethiopia
In-service Sub-committee, MOE, Addis Ababa. p.22.

Rhodes, C., Stokes, M. and Hampton, G. (2004). A Practical Guide to Mentoring, Coaching
and Peer Networking: Teacher Professional Development in Schools and Colleges, Rutledge
Flamer, New York, pp.1-2.

Sa’di I. (2001). An Attitude to School Scale for Primary School Children. Research in
Education. An Interdisciplinary International Research Journal, Manchester, Manchester
University Press, 66, p.65.

School District of Philadelphia (2006). Working Harder for Children and Families:
Professional Development.
Website: http://www.phila.k12.pa.us/Children_Achieving/profdev.html pp 1-3.

Tairab, H.H. (2001). Pre- service Teachers’ Views of the Nature of Science and Technology
Before and After a Science Teaching Methods Course. An Interdisciplinary International
Research Journal, Manchester, Manchester University Press, 65, pp. 65, 81 – 86.

TGE (1994). Education and Training Policy, Transitional Government of Ethiopia, Addis
Ababa, EMPDA - Ethiopia. pp.2, 21.

Thomas M. (2001). Group Project Work in Biotechnology and its Impact on Key Skills.
Journal of Biological Education, Institute of Biology, Biozone Learning Media (UK) Ltd.
Glasgow, 35(3):133.

85
 REFERENCES (Continued)

Tilahun B., Abebe Z. and Fekadu B. (2004). Assessment on the Performance of Cluster
Resource Centers on Primary Schools in Dire Dawa Administrative Council. Research
Bulletin, Education Faculty, Bahir Dar University, Research and Publication office, 12, (2):
69-72.

Tsegaye Nigussie (2005). Establishing and Strengthening Pre-service In-service Linkage in

Teacher Education, Debre Birhan (unpublished).

U.S. Department of Education (1995). Teachers and Goals 2000: Leading the Journey
Towards High Standards for all Students, National Education Goals, Office of the Secretary,
Washington, DC. p 5.

UNESCO (2004a). Education for All, The Quality Imperative, Paris, UNESCO Publishing.

UNESCO (2004b). Lifelong Learning in Asia and the Pacific, Asia-Pacific Regional Forum
for Lifelong Learning, Bangkok: UNESCO publishing, pp 1-2.

UNESCO-EFA (2005). Better Schools. Schools Autonomy: EFA Global Monitoring Report,
2005, Website: http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php, pp. 6, 13-14.

Ward, V. (2006). School Cluster: Breaking Isolation and Creating Connections, Questions
and Answers. (Website: http://www.schoolclusters.com. ) Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Wheelock, A. (2000). Conversations: Professional Collaboration to Improve Teacher and

Student Work, Center for Collaborative Education. Boston, Massachusetts, 1 (1): 1- 3, 5.

Winter (2001). Working Toward Excellence: Effective Staff Development Raises Student
Achievement, News letter of the Alabama Best Practice Center, Montgomery, 1(2):3-6.

World Book (2001). The World Book Encyclopedia. Volume 17, world book, Inc, A Scott
Fetzer Company, Chicago, pp. 191,195.

86
7. APPENDICES

87
 Appendix I

Questionnaires

HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
Questionnaire I: To be Filled by Biological Science Teachers of Grades 7 and 8

Objective:
The objective of this questionnaire is to assess the contribution of school clustering program
for the professional development of biological science teachers in the second cycle primary
schools of South Wollo Administrative Zone.

The result of this research will be used to improve the effectiveness of school clustering
program for the professional development of biological science teachers in the second cycles
of primary schools. Therefore, your genuine answers for every question will be very
important. Be aware that the information given by you will be used only for the research
purposes and will be kept confidential. So, it is not necessary to write your name.
Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

Part I: General Information

Direction: Put (  ) mark in one of the boxes of alternative answers for each of the following
issues.

1. Sex Male, Female

2. Age 18-25, 26-35, 36-45, above 45 years
4. Teaching experience in biological science 0-5 years, 6-10 years,
Above 10 years
5. Woreda Dessie, Kombolcha, Tenta, Wereilu,
6. Your school is a cluster center, cluster member school (satellite)
7. If your school is not a cluster center, how far is it from the cluster center approximately)?
_______Kilometers.

88
Part II: Specific Information
Direction I: The following questions are used to assess the significance, problems and
solutions of school clustering program in relation to the professional development of
biological science teachers. Put (  ) mark in one of the boxes of the alternative answers
given and write brief answers when additional explanations are requested.
1. Are you aware of the relevance of school clustering program for the professional
development of biological science teachers?
Yes, No
2. If the answer for question number ‘1’ is ‘Yes’, has it to be sustained in the life of
teaching biology as a strategy of professional development program?
Yes, No
3. If your answer for question number ‘1’ is ‘No’, please, mention the reasons why.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Have you ever participated in trainings organized at school cluster level?
Yes, No
5. If your answer for question number ‘4’ is ‘Yes’, for how many times?
one, two, three, four more than
4 times
6. Please list down the training titles you have participated (if any).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Are you happy in meeting other biological science teachers for experience sharing?
Yes, No
8. Do you feel satisfaction at the end of cluster workshops or meetings
Yes, No
9. If the answer for question number eight is ‘No’, could you mention the reasons why?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Are you eagerly sharing your experience to your colleagues in the school clustering
program? Yes, No

89
11. If the answer for question number ten is ‘No’, could you mention the reasons why?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Which reason(s) do you think is/are the major problem(s) for the effectiveness of
school clustering program that hinder(s) your professional development from the
following? Please rank them starting from the major influential problem (1, 2, 3, ).
Long distance from the center up to satellite school
Lack of resourceful person at the cluster center
Lack of interest to participate in meetings and trainings
Lack of credits for the trainings given
Lack of continuity of trainings
Lack of efficient school leaders
Lack of support from WEO
Lack of support from supervisors
Lack of willingness to share material resources among member schools
13. Write down any other factors you may have encountered and continue to rank them,
please.

14. How can the school clustering program be improved for better contribution of
professional development of biological science teachers? Mark () in one or more of
the following suggested solutions.
Establishing strong and committed cluster committees at all levels.
Supply incentives for the trainings given
Reduce work load of principals.
Undertake need assessment studies ahead.
Decentralized cluster school resource centers to empower them
Making cluster resource centers resourceful with teaching aids
Developing joint planning exercises
Supplying awareness trainings
Undertake sustainable experience sharing exercises

90
 15. Please write if there are other solutions that can be helpful to improve the program.

Direction II: For each of the following benefits of school clustering program for
professional development of biological science teachers, please indicate your agreement by
putting (  ) according to the following scale.

SA (strongly agree), A (agree), U (undecided), D (disagree), SD (strongly disagree)

No Items SA A U D SD

1 Improved teaching efficiency of biological science

teachers.
2 Experience sharing is practiced among members of
clustered schools.
3 Enables sharing of material resource among members of
clustered schools.
4 Human resource sharing can be practiced under cluster
level if necessary.
5 It helped in strengthening social relationship of
biological science teachers among satellite schools.
6 Teachers became convinced to plan cluster activities
including with their regular annual plans.
7 Helped schools to be furnished with teaching aids.
8 School clustering program has improved the application
of continuous assessment in biology classes.
9 Improved the use of science kits in biology classes.
10 It helped biological science teachers in developing the
skills of using science laboratories for biology classes.

91
 Part III: Open-ended Questions

Direction: Please, answer the following questions briefly. You can use the back of this page
if the given space is not enough.
1. List down the contributions of school clustering program for the professional
development of biological science teachers briefly.

2. What factors might hinder the effectiveness of school clustering program for biological
science teachers’ professional development?

3. What solutions do you suggest to alleviate the problems hindering the contributions of
school clustering program for better professional development of biological science
teachers?

4. What training titles should be included in school clustering program to support

biological science teachers’ professional development?

Thank you

92
 የሐረማያ ዩኒቨርሲቲ
የድህረ ምረቃ ት/ቤት
በትምህርት ፋኩልቲ የባዮሎጂ ትምህርት ክፍል
የጽሁፍ መጠይቅ፡- በ7ኛና 8ኛ ክፍል በሚያስተምሩ የባዮሎጂካል ሳይንስ መምህራን
የሚሞላ፡፡
የመጠይቁ ዓላማ፡-
የዚህ የጽሁፍ መጠይቅ ዓላማ የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም በደቡብ ወሎ አስተዳደር ዞን
ሥር በሚገኙ የመጀመሪያ ደረጃ ሁለተኛ ሣይክል ት/ቤቶች ለሚያስተምሩ የባዮሎጂ
መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት የሚያበረክተውን አስተዋጽኦ ለመዳሰስ ነው፡፡

የምርምሩ ውጤት የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራምን በማሻሻል ለመጀመሪያ ደረጃ ሁለተኛ

ሣይክል ት/ቤቶች የባዮሎጂካል ሳይንስ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት ከፍተኛ አስተዋጽኦ
ያደርጋል፡፡ ስለዚህ ለእያንዳንዱ ጥያቄ የሚሰጡት ምላሽ እውነተኛነት እጅግ በጣም ጠቃሚ
ነው፡፡ የሚሰጡት ምላሽ ለምርምሩ ሥራ ብቻ የሚውልና ሚስጢርነቱ የሚጠበቅ ነው፡፡
በጽሁፍ መጠይቁ ላይ ስም መፃፍ አያስፈልግም፡፡
ለትብብራችሁ በቅድሚያ አመሰግናለሁ፡፡

ክፍል አንድ፡- አጠቃላይ መረጃ

መመሪያ፡- ለሚከተሉት ጥያቄዎች ከፊት ለፊት ከተሰጡት አማራጭ መልሶች መካከል
አንዱን በመምረጥ በሳጥኑ ውስጥ የ() ምልክት አድርጉ፡፡

1. ፆታ ወንድ፣ ሴት
2. ዕድሜ 18-25፣ 26-35፣ 36-45፣ ከ45 ዓመት በላይ
4. የባዮሎጂካል ሳይንስ ትምህርትን የማስተማር ልምድ
0-5 ዓመት፣ 6-10 ዓመት፣ 10 ዓመት በላይ
5. ወረዳ ደሴ፣ ኮምቦልቻ፣ ተንታ፣ ወረኢሉ
6. ት/ቤትዎ፤ የጉድኝት ት/ቤቶች ማዕከል፣ የጉድኝት ት/ቤት
አባል/ሳተላይት/ ነው፡፡
7. ት/ቤትዎ የጉድኝት ት/ቤቶች ማዕከል ካልሆነ ከጉድኝት ማዕከሉ
በኪ.ሜትር በግምት ምን ያህል ይርቃል? ኪሎ ሜትር፡፡

93
 ክፍል ሁለት፡- ዝርዝር መረጃዎች

መመሪያ አንድ፡- የሚከተሉት ጥያቄዎች የተዘጋጁት የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጅ

መምህራን የሙያ ዕድገት ከሚያበረክተው አስተዋጽኦ፣ ችግሮችና መፍትሄዎች አንጻር
ለመዳሰስ ነው፡፡ መሆኑም በሣጥን በቀረቡት አማራጭ መልሶች በአንዱ የ () ምልክት
በማድረግና ማብራሪያ ሲጠየቅ በመጨመር ይመልሱ፡፡
1. የጉድኝት ት/ቤቶች መርሃ ግብር ለባዮሎጂካል ሳይንስ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት
የሚያበረክተውን አስተዋጽኦ ያውቃሉን?
አዎን፡፡ አላውቅም፡፡
2. ለጥያቄ ቁጥር “1” መልስዎ “አዎ” ከሆነ ለመምህራን ሙያ ብቃት እነደ አንድ
ስልት ሆኖ ዘለቄታ ሊኖረው ይገባል ይላሉ?
አዎን፡፡ አይገባም፡፡
3. ለጥያቄ ቁጥር “1” መልስዎ “አይገባም” ከሆነ እባክዎ ምክንያቱን ይዘርዝሩ፡፡
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. በት/ቤቶች ጉድኝት ማዕከል ደረጃ በሚዘጋጁ ስልጠናዎች ተሳትፈው ያውቃሉን?
ተሳትፌያለሁ፡፡ ተሳትፌ አላውቅም፡፡
5. ለጥያቄ ቁጥር “4” መልስዎ “ተሳትፌያለሁ” ከሆነ ለምን ያህል ጊዜ?
1 ጊዜ፣ 2 ጊዜ፣ 3 ጊዜ፣ 4 ጊዜ፣ ከ4 ጊዜ በላይ
6. የተሳተፉባቸው ስልጠናዎች ካሉ የስልጠና ዓይነቶችን ወይም ርዕሶችን ይዘርዝሩ፡፡
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. ለልምድ ልውውጥ ተግባራት ሌሎች የባይዎሎጂካል ሳይንስ መምህራንን ሲያገኙ
ይደሰታሉ?
አዎ፡፡ አልደሰትም፡፡
8. በትምህርት ቤት ጉድኝት ስልጠናዎች መጨረሻ ላይ በተሰጠው ስልጠና እርካታ
ይሰማዎታል?
አዎ፡፡ አልደሰትም፡፡
9. ለጥያቄ ቁጥር “8” መልስዎ “አልደሰትም” ከሆነ እባክዎ ምክንያቱን ይዘርዝሩ፡፡
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

94
10. ፍላጎት በተሞላበት መንፈስ ከሌሎች መምህራን ጋር የልምድ ልውውጥ ያደርጋሉ?
አዎ፡፡ አላደርግም፡፡
11. ለጥያቄ ቁጥር “10” መልስዎ “አላደርግም” ከሆነ እባክዎ ምክንያቱን ይዘርዝሩ፡፡
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. ከሚከተሉት ውስጥ የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለእርስዎ የሙያ ብቃት
አስተዋጽኦ እንዳይኖረው ምክንያት የሚሆነው/የሚሆኑት የትኛው/የትኞቹ
ነው/ናቸው? አባክዎ ከዚህ በታች ከቀረቡት አማራጮች በአንዱ ወይም ከአንድ በላይ
በመምረጥና ደረጃ በመስጠት የችግሩን መጠን በሚገልፅ ሁኔታ ከከፍተኛ ወደ
ዝቅተኛ በቅደም ተከተል 1ኛ፣ 2ኛ፣ 3ኛ …ወዘተ በመጻፍ ይግለጹ፡፡
ከት/ቤት ጉድኝት ማዕከሉ እስከ ት/ቤት ያለው ረዥም ርቀት
የተሻለ ልምድ ያለው ሰው በጉድኝት ማዕከሉ አለመኖር
በስብሰባዎችና ሥልጠናዎች ላይ ለመሳተፍ ፍላጎት አለመኖር
በጉድኝት ማዕከሉ ለሚሰጡ ሥልጠናዎች ዋጋ አለመስጠት (ለደረጃ
ዕድገትና ለመሳሰሉት ጥቅማ ጥቅም የሌለው መሆኑ)
በጉድኝት ማዕከሉ የሚሰጡ ሥልጠናዎች ቀጣይ አለመሆን
ብቃት ያለው የት/ቤት አመራር አለመኖር
የወረዳ ትምህርት ጽ/ቤት ድጋፍ አለመኖር
የሱፐርቫይዘሮች እገዛ ዝቅተኛ መሆን
የጉዲኝት ማዕከላት የትምህርት ቁሳቁሶችን ከአባል ት/ቤቶች ጋር በጋራ
የመጠቀም ፍላጎት አለመኖር
13. ከላይ ከተዘረዘሩት ውጭ የጉድኝት ት/ቤት ፕሮግራም ለእርስዎ የሙያ ብቃት
አስተዋጽኦ እንዳይኖረው ምክንያት/ችግር ናቸው የሚሏቸውን ይግለፁ፡፡ በደረጃም
ያስቀምጧቸው፡፡ (በሳጥኑ ውስጥ 1ኛ፣ 2ኛ፣ 3ኛ … ወዘተ በማለት የተጽዕኖ
መጠናቸውን ቢገልፁ)፡፡

14. የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጂካል ሳይንስ መምህራን ሙያ ብቃት

አስተዋጽኦ እንዲኖረው በምን መልኩ መሻሻል ይኖርበታል ብለው ያስባሉ? እባክዎ

95
 ከዚህ በታች በቀረቡት በአንዱ ወይም ከአንድ በላይ የሳጥን አማራጮች የ()
ምልክት ያድርጉ፡፡

ጠንካራና ኃላፊነት የሚሰማው የጉድኝት ኮሚቴ በየደረጃው በማቋቋም

በጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለሚሰጡ ሥልጠናዎች ማበረታቻ በመስጠት
የርዕሰ መምህራንን የሥራ ጫና መቀነስ
ወደ ሥራ ከመገባቱ በፊት የፍላጎት ጥናትን ማካሄድ
ማዕከላዊነትን በማላላት የጉድኝት ማዕከላትን በራስ የመወሰን አቅማቸውን
ማሳደግ
የት/ቤቶችን ማዕከል በትምህርት መርጃ ቁሳቁሶች እንዲሟሉ ማድረግ
በጋራ የማቀድ ልምድን ማዳበር
የግንዛቤ መፍጠሪያ ስልጠናዎችን በመስጠት
ቀጣይነት ያለው የልምድ ልውውጥ ማድረግ
15. እባክዎ ከላይ ከቀረቡት ውጭ የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጂ መምህራን
የሙያ ብቃት አስተዋጽኦ እንዲኖረው በሚያስችል መልኩ እንዴት መሻሻል
እንደሚገባው መፍትሄ ይሆናሉ ብለው የሚያስቧቸውን ይዘርዝሩ፡፡

መመሪያ ሁለት፡- ከዚህ በታች በቀረበው ሠንጠረዥ የት/ቤቶች ጉድኝት ለባዮሎጂካል

ሳይንስ መምህራን ካስገኛቸው አስተወጽዎች ውስጥ በሚስማሙባቸው ደረጃ ከፊት ለፊት
በቀረቡት የስምምነት ደረጃዎች ‘በጣም እስማማለሁ (በ/እስ)፣ እስማማለሁ (እስ)፣
አልወሰንም (አልወ)፣ አልስማማም(አልስ)፣ በጣም አልስማማም (በ/አልስ)’ በማለት በአንዱ
የ() ምልክት በማድረግ ይመልሱ፡፡

96
 ተራ
ቁ/ር ፅንሰ ሃሳብ በ/እስ እስ አልወ አልስ በ/አልስ
1 ለባዮሎጂ መምህራን የማስተማር ሙያ ዕድገት
አበርክቷል፡፡
2 በት/ቤቶች የልምድ ልውውጥ ይደረጋል፡፡
3 የቁሳቁስ ሃብትን በጋራ መጠቀም ያስችላል፡፡
4 በሚያስፈልግበት ጊዜ በጉድኚት ደረጃ የሰው
ሃብትን በጋራ መጠቀም ይቻለል፡፡
5 የባዮሎጅ መምህራን ማህበራዊ ግንኙነት በአባል
ት/ቤቶች እንዲጠናከር ረድቷል፡፡
6 በአመታዊ ዕቅዳቸው ውስጥ በማካተት
የስራቸው አካል አድርገው ለማቀድ በቅተዋል፡፡
7 ት/ቤቶች በትምህርት መርጃ መሰሪያዎች
የተደራጁ እንዲሆኑ አስችሏል፡፡
8 በባዮሎጅ ትምህርት ተከታታይ ምዘና
አተገባበርን እንዲሻሻል አድርጓል፡፡
9 የሳይንስ ኪትን አጠቃቀም እንዲሻሻል
አድርጓል፡፡
10 የባዮሎጅ መምህራንን የሳይንስ ላቦራቶሪ
አጠቃቀም ክህሎትን አዳብሯል፡፡

ክፍል ሶስት:- ክፍት የጽሁፍ መጠይቆች

መመሪያ፡- ለሚከተሉት ጥየቄዎች ያለዎትን አስተያየት በዝርዝር ይግለፁ፡፡ የተሰጠው ክፍት ቦታ
በቂ ካልሆነ በጀርባ ባለው ክፍት ቦታ መጠቀም ይችላሉ፡፡
1. የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጂ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት የሚያበረክተውን
አስተዋጽኦ ባጭር ባጭሩ ይዘርዝሩ፡፡

2. የት/ቤትች የጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጂ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት አስተዋጽኦ

እንዳይኖረው የሚያደርጉ ምክንያቶች/ችግሮች/ ምንድን ናቸው ይላሉ?

97
 3. የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጂ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት አስተዋፅኦ እንዳይኖረው
የሚያደርጉ ምክንያቶች/ችግሮችን ለማስወገድ አስፈላጊ የሚሏቸውን መፍትሄዎች
ይዘርዝሩ፡፡

4. በት/ቤቶች ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ውስጥ ተካተው ቢሰጡ ለባዮሎጂ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት
ያግዛሉ የሚሏቸውን የሥልጠና ርዕሶች ይግለፁ፡፡

አመሰግናለሁ!

HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

Questionnaire II: To be Filled by Supervisors and School Principals

Objective:
The objective of this questionnaire is to assess the contribution of school clustering program
for the professional development of biological science teachers in the second cycle primary
schools of South Wollo Administrative Zone.

The result of this research contributes ideas in employing school clustering program for the
professional development of biological science teachers in the second cycles of primary
schools. Therefore, your genuine answers for every question will be very important. Be
aware that the information given by you will be used only for the research purposes and will
be kept confidential. So, it is not necessary to write your name.
Thank you for your cooperation in advance.

Part I: General Information

Direction: Put (  ) mark in one of the boxes of alternative answers for each of the following
issues.
1. Sex Male, Female

2. Age 18-25, 26-35, 36-45, above 45 years

98
3. Present work supervisor, school director,

4. Total years of service in your present job, 0-5, 6-10,

above 10 years

5. Indicate the Woreda in which you are currently working. Dessie,

Kombolcha, Tenta, Wereilu,

Part II: Specific Information

Direction: The following questions are designed to assess the significance, problems and
solutions of school clustering program for professional development of biological science
teachers. Please put (  ) mark in one of the boxes of alternative answers given below and
write explanations when requested.
1. Are you aware of the significances of school clustering program for the professional
development of biological science teachers?
Yes, Undecided No,
2. Have you ever organized trainings for biological science teachers at cluster level?
Yes, No,
3. If your answer for question number ’2’ is ‘Yes’, please mention some of the training
titles?

4. What benefits have been gained by biological science teachers from school cluster
program for their professional development? Please list down the benefits.

5. What problems do you think are hindering the effectiveness of school clustering
program against the professional development of biological science teachers? Please
list down the problems briefly.

6. How can school clustering program be improved for better contribution of

professional development of biological science teachers? Please list down the
solutions.

99
 የሐረማያ ዩኒቨርሲቲ
የድህረ ምረቃ ት/ቤት
በትምህርት ፋኩልቲ የባዮሎጂ ትምህርት ክፍል
የጽሁፍ መጠይቅ ሁለት፡- በጉድኝት ት/ቤት ሱፐርቫይዘሮችና ርዕሰ መምህራን
የሚሞላ፡፡
የመጠይቁ ዓላማ፡- የዚህ የጽሁፍ መጠይቅ ዓላማ የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም በደቡብ
ወሎ አስተዳደር ሥር በሚገኙ የመጀመሪያ ደረጃ ሁለተኛ ሣይክል ት/ቤት ለሚያስተምሩ
የባዮሎጂ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት የሚያበረክተውን አስተዋጽኦ መገምገም ነው፡፡

የምርምሩ ውጤት የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለመጀመሪያ ደረጃ ሁለተኛ ሣይክል ት/ቤት
የባዮሎጂ ሳይንስ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት ከፍተኛ አስተዋጽኦ ያደርጋል፡፡ ስለዚህ
ለእያንዳንዱ ጥያቄ የምትሰጡት ምላሽ እውነተኛነት እጅግ በጣም ጠቃሚ ነው፡፡
የምትሰጡት ምላሽ ለምርምሩ ሥራ ብቻ የሚውልና ሚስጢርነቱ የሚጠበቅ ነው፡፡ በጽሁፍ
መጠይቁ ላይ ስም መፃፍ አያስፈልግም፡፡
ለትብብራችሁ በቅድሚያ አመሰግናለሁ፡፡

ክፍል አንድ፡- አጠቃላይ መረጃዎች

መመሪያ፡- ለሚከተሉት ጥያቄዎች ፊት ለፊት ከተሰጡት አማራጭ መልሶች መካከል
አንዱን በመምረጥ በሳጥኑ ውስጥ የ() ምልክት አድርጉ፡፡
1. ፆታ ወንድ፣ ሴት
2. ዕድሜ ከ18-25፣ ከ26-35፣ ከ36-45፣ ከ45 ዓመት በላይ
3. የአሁኑ ሥራዎ የጉድኝት ሱፐርቫይዘር፣ የት/ቤት ርዕሰ መምህር
4. በአሁኑ ሥራዎ ያለዎት አጠቃላይ የሥራ ልምድ 0-5 ዓመት፣ 6-10
ዓመት፣ ከ10 ዓመት በላይ
5. በአሁኑ ጊዜ የሚሰሩበት ወረዳ ደሴ፣ ኮምቦልቻ፣ ተንታ፣
ወረኢሉ

ክፍል ሁለት፣ ዝርዝር መረጃዎች

መመሪያ፡- የሚከተሉትን ጥያቄዎች የተዘጋጁት የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጂ
መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት የሚያበረክተውን አስተዋጽኦ፣ ችግሮችና መፍትሄዎች ለመዳሰስ

100
ነው፡፡ እባክዎ በሣጥን በቀረቡት አማራጭ መልሶች በአንዱ የ () ምልክት ያድርጉ፡፡
ማብራሪያ ለሚያስፈልጋቸውም ይጨምሩ፡፡
1. የት/ቤቶች ጉድኝት መርሃግብር ለባዮሎጂካል ሳይንስ መምህራን ሙያ ብቃት
የሚያበረክተውን አስተዋጽኦ ያውቃሉን?
አዎ አውቃለሁ፡፡ አልወሰንም አላውቅም፡፡
2. ለባዮሎጂ መምህራን ሙያ ብቃት የሚጠቅሙ ሥልጠናዎችን በጉድኝት ት/ቤቶች
ማዕከል አዘጋጅተው ያውቃልን?
አዎ አላውቅም
3. ለጥያቄ ቁጥር “2” ምላሽዎ “አዎ” ከሆነ፣ እባክዎ የተሰጡ የሥልጠና ርዕሶችን
ይዘርዝሩ፡፡

4. ከት/ቤቶች ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም የባዮሎጂካል ሳይንስ መምህራን ለሙያ ብቃታቸው

ምን ጠቀሜታዎችን አግኝተዋል? እባክዎ የተገኙትን ጠቀሜታዎች ይዘርዝሩ፡፡

5. የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጂካል ሣይንስ መምህራን የሙያ ብቃት

አስተዋጽኦ እንዳይኖረው እየገደቡ ያሉ ምክንያቶች ምንድን ናቸው? እባክዎ በአጭር
ባጭሩ ይዘርዝሩ፡፡

6. የት/ቤት ጉድኝት ፕሮግራም ለባዮሎጂ ሳይንስ መምህራን ሙያ ብቃት የተሻለ

አስተዋጽኦ እንዲኖረው በምን መልኩ መሻሻል ይኖርበታል ይላሉ? እባክዎ መፍትሄ
ናቸው የሚሏቸውን ይዘርዝሩ፡፡

አመሰግናለሁ!

101
 Appendix II

Interviews

HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY
Interview questions for college cluster coordinators (supervisors and VSO volunteers)
1. School clustering program is implemented in Ethiopian schools. How is school
clustering program organized in your catchment areas?
2. How do you implement school clustering program to achieve its objectives?
3. How do you explain the biological science teachers’ perception of the use of school
clustering for their professional development?
4. Do you think biological science teachers are interested to participate in different
trainings and in sharing of experiences with other teachers of cluster member schools?
5. Can you say something about the extent or degree of their perception about the use of
school clustering program? (Low or medium or high)
6. A/ Is there a difference in perceptions between the two urban and the other rural
Woredas teachers about school clustering program? Why? B/ Is there difference in
perception among teachers with different years of teaching experiences?
7. What benefits can be gained from school clustering program for professional
development of biological science teachers?
8. What problems have you faced in practicing the objectives of school clustering
program?
9. What solutions do you recommend for the mentioned problems?
10. Supervisors are assigned in each cluster centers. To what extent is it important and what
improvements have been gained?

102
 HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

Interview Questions for Woreda Education Office Inspectors and AREB Experts

1. School clustering program is implemented in Ethiopian schools. How is school

clustering program organized in your catchments areas?
2. What benefits can be gained from school clustering program for professional
development of biological science teachers?
3. What problems have you faced in achieving the objectives of school clustering
program?
4. What solutions do you recommend for the mentioned problems?
5. Supervisors are assigned in each cluster center. To what extent is it important and what
improvements have been gained?
6. What supports do you give for supervisors to achieve the objectives of school
clustering program?
Thank you!

የሐረማያ ዩኒቨርሲቲ
የድህረ ምረቃ ት/ቤት
በትምህርት ፋኩልቲ የባዮሎጂ ትምህርት ክፍል

መጠይቅ፡ ለወረዳ ት/ጽ/ቤት ኢንስፔክተሮችና ለአማራ ክልል ትምህርት ቢሮ

ባለሙያዎች ለቃለ መጠይቅ የተዘጋጁ ጥያቄዎች

1. በኢትዮጵያ የትምህርት ቤቶች ጉድኝት መርሃግብር ተግባራዊ ሆኗል፡፡ መርሃግብሩ

በአካባቢዎ የተደራጀው እንዴት ነው?
2. ከትምህርት ቤቶች ጉድኝት መርሃግብር ለባዮሎጅካል ሳይንስ መምህራን ሙያ
ብቃት ምን ጠቀሜታ ያስገኛል?
3. የትምህርት ቤቶች ጉድኝት መርሃግብር አላማዎችን በማሳካት ሂደት ምን ችግር
ገጠመዎት?
4. ለተዘረዘሩት ችግሮች ምን የመፍትሄ ሀሳቦች ይሰጣሉ?
5. በየጉድኝት ማዕከሉ ሱፐርቫይዘሮች ተመድበዋል፡፡ ይህ ምን ያህል አስፈላጊ ነው?
በመመደባቸውስ ምን ለውጥ ተገኝቷል?

103
 6. የትምህርት ቤቶች ጉድኝት መርሃግብር አላማዎችን ለማሳካት ለሱፐርቫይዘሮች ምን
ድጋፍ ይሰጣሉ?

አመሰግናለሁ!

HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

Questions Prepared for Focus Group Discussions with Instructors of Natural Science
Department of Dessie College of Teacher Education

1. How do you help biological science teachers of second cycle primary schools
clustered under the catchment areas of Dessie CTE?
2. How do you select the training titles to be given for biological science teachers?
Are they subject specific or general methods of teaching?
3. What benefits can be gained from school clustering program for professional
development of biological science teachers?
4. What problems have you faced in achieving the objectives of school clustering
program?
5. What solutions do you recommend for the mentioned problems?
6. What supports do you give for supervisors to achieve the objectives of school
clustering program?

Thank you!

104
 Appendix III

Check List to be filled during Observation

HARAMAYA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY

Questionnaire VI: Check List Prepared for Observation of Biological Science Classes
and Pedagogical Centers of Second Cycle Primary Schools

Woreda ______________________ Name of the Observed School _____________________

Put () mark if the following listed educational equipment or teaching aid is available in the
observed schools and () mark if it is absent for each of the following.

Facilities Common Materials

1. Science Laboratory 4. Microscope

2. Pedagogical Center 5. Science Kit
3. Library 6. Photo copy Machine
7. Duplicating Machine

Major Teaching Aids Selected from the Text Book of Biological Science (Grade 7)

7. Model or Picture of Typical Cell Structure

8. Model or Picture of Amoeba
9. Model or Picture of Paramecium
10. Model or Picture of Euglena
11. Model or Picture of Food Chain
12. Model or Picture of Food Web
13. Model or Picture of House Fly
14. Model or Picture of Mosquito
15. Model or Picture of Human Skeletal System
16. Model or Picture of Human Muscular System

105
 17. Model or Picture of Human Breathing System
18. Model or Picture of Human Circulatory System
19. Model or Picture of The Human Kidney

Major Teaching Aids Selected from the Text Book of Biological Science (Grade 8)

20. Model or Picture of The Eye

21. Model or Picture of The Ear
22. Model or Picture of Tongue
23. Model or Picture of Nose
24. Model or Picture of Skin
25. Model or Picture of Nervous System
26. Model or Picture of Endocrine Glands
27. Model or Picture of Human Reproductive Organ
28. Model or Picture of Typical Flower
29. Model or Picture of a Seed
30. Model or Picture of a typical tree

Thank you!

106
 Appendix IV

Raw Data and Samples of Chi Square Calculations

Appendix Table 1: Raw data which were used to calculate the perception difference
among BSTs teaching in urban and rural Woredas about SCP using chi square
method

Sites
No Items Urban, N=45 Rural, N=43
F UD Unf F UD Unf
1 Improving Teaching Efficiency 29 16 0 38 2 3
2 Experience Sharing 28 10 7 30 7 6
3 Material Resource Sharing 18 12 15 19 6 18
4 Human Resource Sharing 16 10 19 16 7 20
5 Improving Social Relations 15 13 17 25 7 11
6 Including to Academic Year Plan 14 7 24 21 7 15
7 Resourcefulness of CRCs 21 9 15 18 6 19
8 Use of Continuous Assessment 28 5 12 30 5 8
9 Use of Science Kit in Teaching
Biology 17 10 18 18 9 16
10 Aware of Laboratory Basic
Techniques 8 12 25 10 10 23
Total (Used to calculate overall
significance difference) 198 107 150 229 64 137

F = Favorable, UD = Undecided, Unf = Unfavorable, N = Total Number of Teachers

107
Sample calculation used to find the perception difference among BSTs teaching in
urban and rural Woredas towards SCP using the chi square method

1. Teaching Efficiency
Site Favorable Undecided Unfavorable Total
( 0  E )2  Urban 29 16 0 45
X2 =    Rural 38 2 3 43
 E 
Total 67 18 3 88
(O= Observed frequency)
fr fc
Expected frequency (E) = (frequency of row x frequency of column /total frequency)
n
Urban Rural
45x67 43x67
Favorable = = 34.26 ; = 32.74
88 88
45x18 43x18
Undecided = = 9.20 ; = 8.80
88 88
45x3 43x3
Unfavorable = = 1.53 ; = 1.47
88 88
_____________________________________________________________________________

O E O-E (O-E)2/E
29 34.26 -5.26 0.81
38 32.74 5.26 0.85
16 9.2 6.8 5.03
2 8.8 -6.8 5.25
0 1.53 -1.53 1.53
3 1.47 1.53 1.59
 = 88 88 0 X2 = 15.06

Degree of freedom (df) = (Row-1) (Column-1) = (2-1) (3-1) = 2

The critical value of X2 with 2 degree of freedom at 0.05 level of significance is 5.99 and the
computed X2 value is 15.06. Since the computed value is greater than the critical value, there
is a significant difference between urban and rural teachers in improving their teaching
efficiency.

108
Appendix Table 2: Raw data of BSTs from the four Woredas which were used to
calculate the perception difference among teachers of different years of teaching
experience using the chi square method

Teaching Experience
o
N Items 0-5 Years, 6-10 Years, Above 10 Years,
N=48 N=25 N=15
F UD Unf F UD Unf F UD Unf
1 Teaching efficiency 46 2 0 15 9 1 6 7 2
2 Experience Sharing 34 9 5 16 5 4 8 3 4
3 Material resource sharing 18 8 22 11 6 8 8 4 3
4 Human Resource Sharing 16 11 21 10 4 11 6 2 7
5 Improving social relations 26 10 12 9 6 10 5 4 6
6 Including to their academic 24 6 18 7 5 13 4 3 8
year plan
7 Resourcefulness of CRCs 29 4 15 7 6 12 3 5 7
8 Use of continuous assessment 36 3 9 17 3 5 5 4 6
in assessing biology
9 Use of science kit in teaching 23 9 16 9 5 11 3 5 7
biology
10 Aware of laboratory basic 9 8 31 5 8 12 4 6 5
techniques
Total 261 70 149 106 57 87 52 43 55

F = Favorable, UD = Undecided, Unf = Unfavorable, N = Total Number of Teachers

Sample calculation used to find the perception difference among BSTs teaching at
different years of service towards SCP using the chi square method

1. Teaching Teaching Favorable Undecided Unfavorable Total

Efficiency experience
0-5 Years 46 2 0 48
 (0  E ) 2  6-10 Years 15 9 1 25
X2 =   
 E  Above 10 6 7 2 15
(O = Observed Frequency) Total 67 18 3 88

109
 Row total x column total
Expected frequency (E) =
Total frequency
0-5 years 6-10 years above 10 years

48x67 25x67 15x67

Favorable = = 36.55 ; = 19.03 ; = 11.42
88 88 88

48x18 25x18 15x18

Undecided = = 9.82 ; = 5.11 ; = 3.07
88 88 88

48x3 25x3 15x3

Unfavorable = = 1.64 ; = 0.85 ; = 0.51
88 88 88
_____________________________________________________________________________
O E O-E (O-E)2/E
46 36.55 9.45 2.44
15 19.03 -4.03 0.85
6 11.42 -5.42 2.57
2 9.82 -7.82 6.22
9 5.11 3.89 2.96
7 3.07 3.93 5.03
0 1.64 -1.64 1.64
1 0.85 0.15 0.02
2 0.51 1.49 4.35
= 88 88 0 X2 = 26.08

Degree of freedom = (R-1) (C-1) = (3-1) (3-1) = 4

The critical value of X2 with 4 degree of freedom at 0.05 level of significance is 9.49 and the
computed X2 value is 26.08. Therefore, there is significance difference among teachers of
different years of teaching experience in improving their teaching efficiency.

110