A Comparative Study on Quality of Education in Ethiopian Higher Education Institutes: The Case of Leadership Practice in Private and Public

Abstract

This research made a comparative study on the quality of education in Ethiopian Higher Education Institutes, specifically on leadership practice in private and public universities in six selected Higher Education Institutes. It looked into the styles and behaviour of leadership in these institutions. Relevant literature on the styles, behaviour and practice of leadership in HEIs was also reviewed. Different leadership theoretical assumptions were examined and used in studying the practice. Data were collected from six HEIs (three private and three public Universities) in Ethiopia. Data analysis was made by using both chi-square and t-test for quantitative data, and interpretational and reflective analysis for qualitative data. The findings showed that most of the leadership behaviour manifested in private HEIs is more of task-oriented that is primarily concerned with improving efficiency and process reliability. On the other hand, the leadership behaviour observed in public HEIs was mostly relations-oriented which is primarily concerned with strong commitment to the unit and its mission with improving human relations. Moreover, behaviours that are change - oriented like monitoring the external environment to identify threats and opportunities, initiating and leading change, encouraging innovative thinking, and facilitating collective learning were not given more attention in both institutions. Finally, it was concluded that the practice of effective leadership, and specifically the practice of transformational leadership in both HEIs was found to be weak and requires consideration from both the government and the HEIs.