This study comprehends the power of Ethiopian secondary school principals and learns valuable theories and models towards the quality of education. The study was delimited distinctly in government secondary schools of Ethiopia especially in South Nations, Nationalities Peoples Regional State. Qualitative research method was utilized. Six secondary schools from the three zones (Gedeo, Sidama, and Hadiya) were chosen for the study. The participants were six principals, 3 heads of province/Zone Education Department, 6 heads of Kebele Education and Training Board, and 3 retired principals. The primary sources to gather information were interview, focus group discussion, and document analysis. The study revealed that a portion of the principals realizes their power yet neglect to appropriately exercise because of negative obstructions from local authorities. This could affect academic achievement of the students.