Practices and challenges of female teachers’ participation in educational leadership in secondary schools of jimma zone

Abstract

This study aimed at assessing the practices and challenges of female teachers’ participation in secondary school leadership in Jimma Zone. To conduct this study, descriptive survey research design a quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. The participants of this study were 337 out of which 168 teachers were selected by using lottery method of simple random sampling techniques. Eight members of PTSA and school board, 8 school principals and vice principals, 8 school supervisors, 8 Woreda education head and 4 Zone Education Department officials were also involved through availability sampling technique. Data were collected by using questionnaire, semi-structural interview and document reviews. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis were employed. Data obtained through questionnaire were analyzed using statistical tools. Accordingly, frequency counts, standard deviation. Mean scores and t-test were used while data obtained through semi-structured interview, document review and open-ended items were qualitatively analyzed to support quantitative findings. Finally, the research came up with the following major findings. The involvement of female teachers in school leadership was found to be insignificant at the bottom while relatively ignored at the top level during the last five years. These major factors that impeded their participation included socio- cultural beliefs and practices as well as organizational and personal related factors. Moreover, it was found that female teachers themselves had low aspiration and were also found to be reluctant to become school leader. The study revealed that the influence of cultural ideology affected female teachers participation in leadership, i.e., societal view that females are not leaders, but are followers still influences female teachers’ participation in secondary school of Jimma zone. Furthermore, lack confidence, absence of impactful female local role model in secondary school leadership, limitations in decisions about hiring, promotions and provision of affirmative action affected female participation in secondary school of Jimma zone. Socio-cultural and gender stereotypes like family and home responsibilities make females is also still affecting their opportunity to gain bottom experiences in school leadership that would help them for further advancement because the school leadership is men dominated. In conclusion, female teachers’ participation in leadership in secondary schools of Jimma zone is below the current day’s expectation. That is, the available policies and strategies which offers golden opportunity for females are not fully implemented so as to attract as many female candidates as possible for enhancing their involvement in secondary school leadership of Jimma zone. So, it is, generally strongly recommended that all concerned bodies work on it as per the policy provision to bring about the expected difference.