Factors Contributing to Female Teachers Underrepresentation in Schools Leadership: A Case of Sumbawanga, Tanzania

Abstract

This study sought to investigate the factors contributing to underrepresentation of female teachers in leadership positions in public secondary schools in Sumbawanga Municipality. The study employed the mixed research approach and convergent parallel research design. The Study sampled a total of 100 respondents out of a population of 687 educational stakeholders. These included 87 teachers, 5 heads of schools, 1 Municipality Executive Officer, 1 Regional Officer, 1 Municipality Education Officer and 5 head prefects. Purposive sampling technique was used to select students, heads of schools as well as all education officers while simple random sampling was used to select teachers. Questionnaire and interview guides were used to collect data. The study concludes that factors that hindered female teachers’ participation in school leadership was lack of consideration of gender when appointing school leaders and nothing else since all possible factors that were suggested in the questionnaire were denied by teachers of both genders. Therefore, gender biasness was a major factor that that brought about the gender imbalance in school leadership positions in the schools under investigation. The study therefore recommends that the appointing authorities should be guided by the affirmative action policy in the appointment of school heads. This will contribute to appointment of more women to leadership positions such as schools heads.

Advancing gender parity in educational leadership: Insights from selected secondary schools in Shinyanga Municipality

“…In 2013, in the Kagera region, women in school managerial roles accounted for 9.5%, with men occupying the remaining 90.5%. The statistics also show that in the Manyara region, 12.2% of the administrative positions in the education were occupied by women, while men dominated the majority, 80.8% (Mbalilaki & Oduor Onyango, 2022). In the Morogoro region, 17.9% of the female teachers occupied administrative positions, while male teachers accounted for 83.1%.…”

“…In the Arusha region, male head teachers comprised 81.7%, but the female head teachers represented only 18.3%. In the Manyara region, 88% of the head teachers were men, and only 12% were women (Mbalilaki & Oduor Onyango, 2022). These statistics depict the existing gap between women and men in education leadership positions in Tanzania's secondary schools.…”

“…The situation of women's underrepresentation in leadership roles exists in Tanzania's secondary schools (Mbalilaki & Oduor Onyango, 2022). The statistics given by Mbalilaki and Oduor Onyango (2022) depict that out of 23 heads of secondary schools in the Pwani region, only 4.3% were women, whereas the remaining 95.7% were men.…”

“…The situation of women's underrepresentation in leadership roles exists in Tanzania's secondary schools (Mbalilaki & Oduor Onyango, 2022). The statistics given by Mbalilaki and Oduor Onyango (2022) depict that out of 23 heads of secondary schools in the Pwani region, only 4.3% were women, whereas the remaining 95.7% were men. Interestingly, regardless of the large percentage of female educators having bachelor's degrees (74.5%) compared to their male counterparts, many school administrative positions were still dominated by men.…”

“…These statistics depict the existing gap between women and men in education leadership positions in Tanzania's secondary schools. The existing literature reviewed further called for additional study and information to gain insight into understanding that will lead to the formation of concrete policies to ensure gender representation in education leadership roles (Joseph et al, 2016;Mbalilaki & Oduor Onyango, 2022;Mbepera, 2017;Mollel & Tshabangu, 2014). Moreover, most of the existing body of literature has focused on factors contributing to women's underrepresentation in education leadership positions, with few studies on strategies to promote equality in leadership positions.…”