Women’s Representation To School Principal ship Position In Some Selected Primary Schools Of Gibe - Ressu Zone Of Afar Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that women’s’ representation in primary schools principal ship positions. To attain the stated objectives, basic questions were asked. These questions are related to the extent of women’s’ representation in principal ship positions; the barriers to women applying for principal ship positions; the interest of women coming to school principal ship positions; the attitude of the school society towards women in school principal ship role and encouraging measures to enhance women’s’ representation in schools principal ship positions. Descriptive survey mix with qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to conduct the study and the sampling techniques were purposive and systematic random sampling used. In order to collect data researcher used questionnaires, interviews and secondary sources. Questionnaires were distributed to 152 teachers, 7 principals and 13 WEO expertise’s of which 144 of the teachers, 7 of the principals and 13 WEO expertise were filled and returned. In addition to this, 3 WEO heads were interviewed. The respondents selected through systematic random sampling. The data collected from respondents and secondary sources were tailed, tabulated and organized in systematical form. To analyze the data percentage, mean and rank order were used. Accordingly, the study revealed that there is a low number of females represented in principal ship positions, women principals are less confident in decision-making process, there is gender discrimination regarding to recruitment, selection and development of women in principal ship position, women’s’ self interest related factors played a great role in the low representation in educational leadership positions, women have not freed themselves from the long lived negative attitude of society and they have not strived for their own rights as required and accepted their inferiority to men, the education system does not encourage women to form their own net work and less motivated, the sex role stereotype is still highly prevalent. It was further identified that the major causes that women’s’ representation in primary schools principal ship positions were; societal attitude towards women ,interest of women, lack of role models and mentors, gender inequality in work place, lack of professional network and lack of equal employment opportunity .