Female Teachers Underrepresentation on Leadership Position in Public Secondary Schools in Musoma District Council Tanzania

Abstract

The study assessed the causes for female teachers’ underrepresentation in public secondary school leadership position in Musoma district council in Tanzania. The objective of the study was to inspect on the causes that affect female teachers’ representation in public secondary school leadership position and to propose measures for female teacher’s underrepresentation in school leadership in public secondary schools. The study employed a mixed research approach specifically convergent parallel design. A sample of 139 participants was involved to produce data using questionnaire and interview methods. A correlation coefficient of 0.81 indicated high reliability of research instruments. Quantitative data were descriptively analysed with the support of SPSS version 20 and qualitative data was analysed using thematic method. The findings revealed that lack of confidence, number of female teachers, negative perception towards women, inferiority complex, gender stereotyping, chance and environmental factors were the causes of female teachers’ underrepresentation in school leadership. The study recommended that there should be provision of education to the community about the importance of female teachers’ representation in school leadership. Moreover, seminars and workshop should be provided to female teachers to equip them with school leadership skills.