The main purpose of this study was to undertake an assessment ofrnthe main challenges principals face in secondary schools of west Shoa zone and to identify the strengths and weakness and then tornprovide recommendations to identify major problems. Inrnconducting this study, a descriptive survey method was used inrnorder to obtain information concerning the current challenges thatrnschool principals faced in secondary schools of West Shoa zone.rnRandomly selected government schools (N=8) were included in thisrnstudy. In order to select the respondent simple random andrnpurposive techniques were employed. A closed and an open endedrnquestionnaires were prepared and administered to a sample of 8rnprincipals, 16 Woreda Educational officer and 182 teachers wererninvolved in 'the study to provide pl'imary information. A total ofrn206 questionnaires were filled in and returned. Results of werernanalyzerl by using percentage, mean and weighted mean. Thernresult of this study indicates the principals were incompetent onrncurrying out their educational leadership responsibilitiesrneffectively. The major problems to principals in providing effectillernand efficient educational leadership responsibilities were found tornbe lack of required qualification altd tJ'aining on educationalrnleadership, lack of adequate resources altd shortage of time due tornwOIÂ·kload. Generally, the quality of educational leadership in thernsample area. was poor. Thus, to alleviaternrecommendations were forwar'ded, Thesernthe above problemsrnwer'c providing ofrntraining, motivating and encouraging principals a.nd allocatingrnin diffe.mr:.t schoof affairs, so as (;0 bring (!uc'dity eu'ucation in thernschool