Administrative and socio-cultural challenges influencing secondary schools feamle teachers' participation in leadership positions in Narok District, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to establish challenges influencing the secondary school female teachers' participation in leadership positions in Narok district. The study sought to determine the extent to which sociocultural beliefs and values influence female secondary schools teachers' involvement in leadership positions; to determine the extent to which female teachers' self-perception influences their involvement in secondary school leadership positions; to establish the extent to which gender role socialization influences secondary schools female teachers' aspiration to leadership positions and to examine the administrative strategies used. by secondary school headteachers to enhance female teachers' involvement in leadership.

The study was guided by the 'Principle Centred Leadership' which states that leadership is based on the idea that effectiveness in a social role, such as management, depends on how far a person keeps to certain principles of behaviour (Covey, 1992). Descriptive research design was used. The study targeted 30 headteachers out of 35 headteachers in the district and 90 teachers in the district. Simple random was used to select schools while purposive sampling was used to select three class teachers per school. Questionnaires were used to collect data from the respondents. A pilot study was carried out to validate the research instrument. To ensure reliability the researcher employed the test retest method. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and presented in percentages and frequencies. The following were the fmdings of the study; on the rating of socia-cultural beliefs and values that influence female teachers aspiration to leadership positions; most of the teachers rated cultural factors high such as men in the community being superior to women and women not questioning the authority of men. On rating of socio-cultural beliefs and values that influence female teachers' aspiration' to leadership position, most of the teachers rated cultural factors high such as men in the community being superior to women and women not questioning the authority of men.

Teachers perceived female teachers as not having leadership qualities. The teachers indicated that gender parity in leadership of secondary schools should be encouraged. The rating of the administrative strategies the appointment of teachers to leadership positions is done internally or externally. With teachers and headteachers wish to have gender parity in school leadership, gender parity will encourage both female and, male teachers to participate in leading their schools. The following recommendations were drawn from the findings. Female teachers should perceive themselves as capable just as their male counterparts. Female teachers should be motivated and offered necessary support to take up leadership position by the government and the community. The administrators should be good role models, should recommend female teachers for training and workshops, delegate duties to them, mentor them for leadership positions so as to encourage them to take leadership position within their schools and with their Maasai community at large.