English abstract
The current study aimed to investigate the administrative problems facing principals of basic education schools in the Sultanate of Oman in implementing the program of addressing learning difficulties in the schools. The study followed the descriptive approach. A questionnaire was used to collect data and information. It was applied to a sample of (300) school's principals, principal's assistants and teachers of learning difficulties and supervisors of learning difficulties in four educational governorates of Al Batinah South, Al Batinah North, Al Dakhiliya and Al Dhahirah.
The findings of the study revealed that the most prominent administrative problems facing the principals of basic education schools in the Sultanate of Oman in applying the program of addressing learning difficulties are the problems related to funding from the participants point of view which were rated high. Furthermore, the problems regarding planning, organizing, supervising and guiding scored an average degree, while the problems of employee performance evaluation were rated low.
Additionally, the results revealed the absence of statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α = 0.05) as considered by the study sample due to the variable of the academic qualification in all fields of the study except for the problems related to evaluating the performance of workers. The results showed statistically significant differences at the level of (α = 0.05) in favor of the study sample with masters' academic qualifications and above in the field of employee performance evaluation.
Significant differences were presented in the job variable in both areas of the problems related to supervision and the problems related to the evaluation of the employees performance.On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the rest of the study fields. There were significant differences in favor of the sample of managers in the field of problems related to supervision. Similarly, these differences existed in favor of assistant managers in the two fields.
An absence of statistically significant differences at the level of (α = 0.05) is attributed to the years of experience in all areas of study except for the problems related to supervision. In contrast, there were significant differences in favor of the study samples with 11 years of experience years and above regarding the problems related to supervision.
No statistically significant differences at the level of (α = 0.05) were revealed due to the number of training courses in the field of special education in all areas of study except for the problems related to supervision. The study results showed differences in favor of the study sample who have not previously obtained any training courses in special education in the field of problems related to supervision.
Regarding the variable of educational governorate, the results affirmed statistically significant differences at the level of (α = 0.05) in the field of organization and the problems related to the evaluation of worker's performance, while there were no significant differences in the rest of the study fields. The results showed significant differences in favor of the study sample from the governorate of Al Batinah South in the two fields.
Several recommendations are suggested by the study. The most important one was to increase the financial allocations for the program of addressing learning difficulties by the ministry of education. Furthermore, it is importante to give the schools applying the program an opportunity to transfer exchange items as needed. It is also recommended to implement a set of training programs for the administrative staff in schools applying the program, and give the school administrators some administrative, financial and technical authority to plan and execute the learning difficulties program.
