Abstract:
This study aimed at identifying the major challenges that result in females’ underrepresentation in
educational leadership in Ilu Aba Bora Zone. To conduct this study, descriptive survey method was
employed. The participants of this study were 171 out of which 147 teachers were selected by using
simple random sampling techniques using lottery method. The 8 school principals and 8 Woreda
education officials were also involved by using availability sampling technique. The data were
collected by using questionnaire, interview and document reviews. Both quantitative and qualitative
methods of data analysis were employed in order to reach at the findings. Finally, the research came
up with the following major findings. The involvement of female teachers in educational leadership
seems to show an insignificant increment each year in the last five years. There are different factors
that have narrowed females’ partaking in educational leadership. These factors are generally
categorized into two major parts namely individual and socio-structural. To begin with, the lack of
confidence because of the social back ground in the culture of the community in general, females are
not leaders; they are followers rather. As a result of lack of confidence, they are not aspired to
become leaders. In addition, females do not have opportunities to gain bottom experiences in
educational leadership that would help them for further advancement because the school leadership is
men dominated in tradition. It can be said that socio- structural factors are the sources of individual
factors that caused females’ underrepresentation in general. The gender balance in the secondary
school teaching staff should be increased as the more the number of female teachers exists in the staff
is the more female competent may exist for educational leadership positions. In addition, the Woreda
Education Office has to work jointly with other offices and politicians to bring attitudinal changes in
the communities to evade the stereotypic misconception about women. Finally, the organizational
policies and practices which give golden opportunities for females should be fully implemented so as
to attract as many female candidates as possible for enhancing their involvement in educational
leadership positions.
