PERCEPTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STAKEHOLDERS TOWARDS WOMEN REPRESENTATION IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN HARARI REGION OF ETHIOPIA

PERCEPTION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STAKEHOLDERS TOWARDS WOMEN REPRESENTATION IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP IN HARARI REGION OF ETHIOPIA

The purpose of this study was to find out the perception of secondary school stakeholders towards women representation in educational leadership and to find the barriers that cause this perception to determine the possible solutions for these problems. To carry out this study descriptive method was employed. Participants of the study were 75 male teachers, selected by using stratified random sampling techniques. The 34 female teachers, 12 school leader such school principals, two deputy directors, one supervisor, 8 bureau officials and 4 PTA were also involved in the study. The data were collected by using questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion. Both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were employed in order to turn up at the results. The findings of the study revealed that despite perception of secondary school stakeholders has been changing, but not as expected still they believe that women are reluctant to accept responsibilities of school leadership; men are better leaders in leading secondary school; the school manager should be masculine, self reliant, ambitious and strong leader; women have no necessary skill to discipline student, supervise other adults and criticize constructively in secondary school; men consider women as his equal counterpart and women lack confidence in their capabilities, qualifications and experiences. Some of the challenges which could hinder women representation in educational leadership were for instance; pressure of home responsibilities, men dominance of management position, political appointment, unclear promotion procedures or informal recruitment selection and training, discrimination in religion and organization, etc. In the finding the secondary school stakeholders also justified the following as the possible solution for the factors that hinders women representation in leadership such as training opportunities for women(Mentoring), gender awareness campaign, gender balance in leadership position, non-discriminatory procedure for recruitment and appointment, affirmative action, fighting traditions that hinder the progress of women, change of negative attitude against women, discourage societal discrimination, change family traditional structure(societal support), sensitize society to accept women leadership, women should be assertive(confidential), women’s Self –motivation.

___

  • Acker, J. (2006). Inequality Regimes: Gender, Class, and Race in Organizations. Available at http://gas.sagepublication.com: 444-450p. Retrieved on September 24, 2008.
  • Best, K. and B. Kahn. (1999). Ethical Guidelines in Participating Humans and Treatment of
  • Persons in Research. Available at: www.nichs.nih.gov/research/resources. Coleman, M. (2003). Gender and School Leadership: The experience of women and men secondary principals. Available at: m.coleman@ioe.ac.uk
  • Craig C., L. K. Donald & H. Duglas. (1994). Sociology. 6th Edition, McGraw Hill Inc, Newyork: 277-285.
  • Cubillo, L & Brown, M. (2003). Women into Educational Leadership and Management:
  • International Differences. Journal of Educational Administration,41(3), 278-291. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0957-8234.htm
  • Fondas, N. (2002). Gender & leadership: Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd Edition. For-Gol.
  • Advameg, Inc. Available at http://www.reference for business.com/encyclopedia/For- Gol/Gender-and-Leadership. Html # ixzzogue6txv Gershaw, D. A. (2002). Learning your gender role. Retrieved June 29, 2003 from the World Wide Web:
  • Giddens, A. (2005). Sociology, 4th Edition, Black Well Publishers, UK, 360-361 & 390-400.
  • Growe, R. & Montgomery, P. (1999). Women and the Leadership Paradigm: Bridging the Gender Gap. National Forum of Education Administration and Supervision Journal, 1(E).
  • Retrieved from htpp://www.nationalforum.com/pdf Haregewoin, C. and Emebet, M. (2003). Towards Gender Equality in Ethiopia a Profile of
  • Gender Relations. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Hirut, T. (2004). Violence Against Women in Ethiopia: A Strong Case of Civil Society
  • Hudson, J., & Rea, D. (1998). Teachers’ Perceptions of Women in the Principalship: A
  • Current Perspective. Retrieved from the World Wide Web May 2004. Available at: http://www.advancingwomen.com/awl/summer98/HUD.html
  • Kawana, I. (2004). Inspectors of Education’s Perceptions of Female Principalship in the Rundu Region of Namibia. Available at: http: //www.Advancingwomen.com/ awl/ summer 98/HUD.html
  • Kiamba, J. M. (2006) Women and Leadership Positions: Social and Cultural Barriers to
  • Success. Available at http://appwp.cortland.edu/ojs/index.php/wagadu/issue/view/36 Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. 2nd Edition, New
  • Delhi: New Age International (p) Ltd, Publishers. Logan, P. J. (1999). An Educational Leadership Challenge: Refocusing Gender Equity
  • Strategies. Available at: www.aasa.org/publications/tap/ 2000summer/logan.html
  • Lopez-Claros, A. and S. Zihadi. (2005) Women’s empowerment: Measuring the Global
  • Gender Gap. Geneva, World Economic Forum: 1-4 Available at www.weforum.org.accessed 5.9.2011 Accessed 3.10.2011
  • Lydia, A.C. (2004). The Perceptions of Stakeholders towards Women in Educational
  • Management. Fifth Annual Educationally Speaking Conference 15th-18th May 2004,
  • Birchwood Hotel, Boksburg. Gauteng. Meron, G. (2003). Paper Presented at the Conference Entitled “Bridge Building between
  • Ethiopia and Austria”, organised by Äthiopisch-Österreichische Frauensolidarität and Österreichisch-Äthiopische Gesellschaft, May 9, 2003, Vienna, Austria.
  • Ministry of Education (2006). Decentralized Management of Education in Ethiopia.
  • Ethiopia: Master Printing Press. Ministry of Women’s Affair (2006). Ethiopian Women Development and Change Package.
  • Addis Ababa: National Printing Press Plc. Moorosi, M.P. (2006). Creating Linkages between Private and public: Do women principals have a chance? Available at: http://www.advancingwomen.com/awl/summer98/HUD.html
  • Mukuria, A. (2005). The Context of Women’s Health: Results from the Demographic and Health Surveys, 1994-2001. Comparative Reports No 11. Calverton, Maryland: ORC Macro.
  • Onyango D.O. (2011). Factors Influencing Participation of Women in Secondary School
  • Education Management in Siaya District, Kenya: Analytical Study Available online@ http://www.interesjournals.org/ER Oplatka, I. (2006). Women in Educational Administration within Developing Countries towards a New International Research agenda: Available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0957-8234.html
  • Osumbah, B. A. (2011). Representation of Women in Top Educational Management and Leadership Positions in Kenya. Available at http://advancing women. Com /awl /awl_word press/ ISSN 1093-70
  • Parakash, R. (2005). Method of Educational Research. New Delhi: A Jay Verma Common
  • Wealth Printing Press. Sanchez, J. E. & Thornton, B. (2010). Gender Issues in K-12 Educational Leadership.
  • Advancing Women in Leadership Journal, 30(13). Retrieved from http://advancingwomen.com/awl/awl_wordpress Sperandio, J. (2006). Women Leading and Owning Schools in Bangladesh: Opportunities in Public, Non-formal and Private Education. Journal of Women in Educational Leadership.
  • Steph. S. K. (2006). Challenges Faced by Women as School Managers in Primary Schools in Warmbaths Area. Available at: http://www. libserv5.tut.at.za-7780-pls-eres-wpg
  • Wrushen B. R. and Sherman, W. H. (2008). Women Secondary School Principals:
  • Multicultural Voices from the Field. Available at: http://www.informaworld.com Yegomawork, G.; Emebet, M.; Hirut, T.; and Yemane, B. (2005). Gender and Health. In:
  • Yemane Berhane, Damene Hailemariam, and Kloos, H. (Eds) Epidemiology and Ecology of Health and Disease in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa: Shama Books.