Abstract:
The objective of this research was to assess the practice and challenges of Women Empowerment
in educational leadership in primary schools of East Shewa Zone administrative towns. In order
to attain this objective, descriptive survey research design was employed. The study was carried
out in selected primary schools of Batu and Mojo. The study populations were all the teachers in
6 sample primary schools that are selected randomly. The target populations were principals,
vice principals and teachers. From a total of 358 teachers and principals in the 6 primary
schools, 178 (49.7%) were chosen using lottery method of simple random sampling technique.
Purposive sampling was employed to select 2heads of education office, and 2 women Children
and Youth Affairs office heads and interview was conducted with them. Quantitative analysis
(frequency, percentage, mean scores and standard deviation) was employed to analyze
questionnaire data. Data collected through interviews were qualitatively analyzed by way of
narration. Based on the analysis, it was found that the current women empowerment practices in
primary schools of East Shewa Zone Administrative Towns under consideration were moderate
(M=3.08).Moreover, the aggregate mean results indicated that affirmative actions were
moderate (M=3.29).The aggregate mean of factors affecting women empowerment were which
was moderate (M=3.34).It was found by this study that inadequate knowledge of relevant
policies, guidelines, directives and others were among the factors that might have negatively
affected women empowerment practices or efforts. The grand mean of strategies enhancing
women empowerment was at high level (M=4.09). The study also showed that lack of budget
,failure to properly understand and implement women empowerment strategies, lack of
commitment to implement the strategies and affirmative actions were challenges to empower
women in educational leadership positions. Based on this, it is recommended that primary
school leaders, education offices of the Administrative Towns under consideration and other
concerned bodies like Women, Children and Youth Affairs officers collaborate to not only
properly implement the existing women empowerment strategies and affirmative action but also
think of better strategies in their context to empower women academic staff to bring them to
educational leadership positions.
