Exploring the Mediation Effect of Instructional Practice on Teachers' Competencies and Students' Academic Achievement in Ethiopian Secondary Schools

Abstract The intent of this study was to investigate the effects of teachers’ competencies on students' academic achievement in Hawassa City's government secondary schools. The researchers used a descriptive survey design within a quantitative framework. The entire sample includes 415 teachers from different fields such as mathematics, English, and sciences, with 196 randomly chosen to participate. A 5-point Likert scale was used to score responses to a closed-ended questionnaire. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive and inferential analyses (ANOVA, multiple regression) revealed that teachers’ competencies significantly predicted academic achievement (β = 0.344, p < 0.001), with instructional practice acting as a partial mediator (ΔR² = 0.032, p = 0.007). The Sobel calculator also used to test the indirect effects of teachers’ competences on students’ academic achievement. Its’ result showed instructional practice contributed to 21.8% of the total effect (Sobel test, z = 2.42, p = 0.015). The result showed that instructional methods play a substantial role in determining student results. The findings underscore the need for targeted professional development to enhance teachers’ competencies and instructional strategies, thereby improving student outcomes.