Major Factors That Affect Female Teachers’ Participation in School Leadership: The Case of Public Primary Schools in Jimma Town

The purpose of this study was to assess the major factors that affect female teachers‟ participation in primary school leadership in Jimma Town. With this, an attempt was made to forward possible solutions for this problems. To conduct this study, descriptive survey method was employed. The participants of this study were 104 teachers selected by using simple random sampling techniques. Out of this, female teachers constitute 53 whereas the remaining 51 are male teachers. The 6 school principals, 5 Town Education Officials, and 4 Women and children affairs office holder were also involved in the study. The data were collected by using questionnaire, interview and document analysis. Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis were employed in order to reach at results. The findings of the study revealed; higher officials make gender bias while selecting school leader; lack of special support to females to win competition for leadership position in the education system of the town; they were strong in making decision; females are less participated as both heads and deputy head teachers: females have capability to lead primary school; men consider women as their equal counterparts; females assume that they will not be successful in leading school; females do not have plan and set their promotion goals to be school leader. Some of the challenges which could hinder women representation in educational leadership were for instance, pressure of home responsibilities, men dominance of management position, unclear promotion procedures. In the finding, the participants of the study also justified the following as the possible solution for the factors that affect women representation in leadership. These are providing training for women(Mentoring), gender awareness campaign, gender fairness in school leadership position, fighting traditions that hinder the progress of women, ,discourage societal discrimination, change family traditional structure(societal support), sensitize society to accept women leadership, women should be self-confident women's self -motivation.