An analysis of the personal factors impeding women teachers' ascension to leadership positions in mixed public secondary schools in Tharaka South Sub - County, Kenya

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to investigate the personal factors impeding women teachers from acession to leadership positions in mixed secondary schools in Tharaka South Sub-County. Towards this, the study employed cross sectional survey design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data was collected from  school principals, women teachers, heads of departments, Boards of  Management members, Parents Teachers’ Association members, Education trade unionists and religious leaders.  Sampling was done through purposive and simple random techniques. Questionnaires, interview guide and focus group discussion guides were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS. 22) as well as NVIVO (V.8) for quantitative and qualitative data analysis respectively.  From the study, cultural factors impeding women accession to leadership of mixed public secondary schools included cultural biases, stereotyping, scrutiny, domestic responsibilities of women, culture of harassment and masculine mystique.