Current Educational Practices from Multicultural Perspectives in Oromia Secondary Schools: Opportunities and Challenges

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the current educational practices from multicultural perspective in secondary schools of Eastern Wollega Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. To realize this, survey method was adopted to collect data from 5 experts, 10 principals, 51 teachers, and 102 students. The students were select randomly by using simple random sampling techniques while experts, principals, and teachers were selected by the availability sampling method. Questionnaires and interviews were used for data collections. The collected data were analyzed by frequencies, percentages, and narration of words. The findings revealed that respondents were highly aware of multicultural education. However, it was not implemented into educational practices. Furthermore, lack of skills, knowledge, negative attitude, and discrimination based on prejudices, ethnocentrism, politics, and religion were the main challenges. The study confirmed that establishing clubs could boost multicultural education awareness and positive attitude. It could also raise the students, teachers, and the society’s awareness about multicultural education. Teachers should encourage students in practicing tolerance and respecting differences. Furthermore, school principals and Oromia Education Bureau should create different mechanisms for nurturing multicultural education and creating a means to minimize discrimination. Finally, the study indicates the need for preparing teachers, students, and the school community to build unity within diversity and tolerance in the schools.