David Otieno Onyango, Enose M.W. Simatwa and Benjamin A. Ondigi
As far as management of education is concerned, both men and women are expected to participate. In the present time, women are just as competent as men in educational management. The expectation is that the participation of men and women in management of education should be on an equal basis. However, studies have revealed that women are under-represented in educational management at all levels worldwide. It is for this reason that the Ministry of Education formulated the policy that a third of management positions in education be occupied by women by the year 2010. Statistics show that in Siaya District, women are under-represented in secondary school education management. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate factors that influence participation of women in secondary school education management in Siaya District. The study employed survey design and a study population of 87 principals, 1131 Board of Governors members, 158 female teachers and 15 Siaya District Education Board members were used. Questionnaires, interviews and document analysis were used to collect data. The study found out that; women were under-represented at the District Education Board, Board of Governors and secondary school headship levels; polices like transfer policy and some school practices and procedures like meetings scheduled on weekends discouraged the participation of women in secondary school education management; lack of time made women to have a negative attitude towards secondary school education management; culture undermined women making them to feel inferior to men while politicians preferred men to women in secondary school education management in Siaya District. The findings of this study are significant in that they will help the policy makers, the Provincial Education Board and the District Education Boards in enhancing participation of women in management of education at secondary school level.
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