| dc.description.abstract | ABSTRACT:
Participation of women in the management of public primary school education in Kenya has been noted to be elusive despite numerous calls for affirmative action to enhance women participation in the education sector. In Rongo Sub-County, women were underrepresented especially in public primary school management where there are only 8(11.7%) female head teachers out of 68, 15(20.8%) deputy head teachers out of 72, 94(23%) Board of Management female members out of 408, 4(15.3%) Sub County Education Board female members out of 26 and 3(17.64%) female Sub County Quality Assurance Standards Officers out of 17. The purpose of this study was to establish the factors influencing women participation in the management of public primary school education in Rongo Sub-County.Objectives of the study were to; establish the influence of socio-cultural factors, determine the influence of economic factors and determine the influence of structural factors on participation of women in management of public primary school education in Rongo Sub-County. A conceptual framework based on the concept that socio-cultural factors, economic factors and structural factors influence participation of women in public primary school education management was used to guide the study. The study employed descriptive survey research design. Population of the study was 60 male head teachers, 8 female head teachers, 57 male deputy head teachers, 15 female deputy head teachers, 194 male teachers, 218 female teachers, 314 male BOM and 94 female BOM members. Simple random sampling and saturated sampling were used to select 52 male head teachers, 50 deputy male head teachers, 129 male teachers, 139 female teachers, 173 male BOM, 76 female BOM, 8 female head teachers and 15 female deputy head teachers respectively. Data was collected using questionnaire, interview schedules and document analysis guides. Face validity of the instruments was established by experts in Educational administration by incorporating their advice. The reliability coefficients were 0.74 for head teachers, 0.81 for deputy head teachers and 0.84 for teachers set at p-value of 0.05. The quantitative data was analyzed by use of percentages, means, frequency counts and ANOVA while qualitative data was transcribed, analysed and reported in themes and sub-themes. The study established that socio-cultural factors like gender bias in the promotion of teachers and women needing to seek their husbands consent to take leadership in schools had a high influence (OM =3.48) on participation of women in management of public primary education. Economic factors like stagnation of women in job groups and poverty also had a high influence (OM = 3.65) on participation of women in management of public primary education. Structural factors like lack of effective school policies and preference of male candidates to managerial positions also had high influence (OM =3.55) on participation of women in management of public primary education. The study concluded that socio-cultural factors, economic factors and structural factors had a high influence on participation of women in public primary school education in Rongo Sub-County. The study recommended that women and government agencies should create awareness on the importance of women participation in primary school education for their participation to be increased. The findings of this study are useful to stakeholders in education on issues of gender equity in management of education. | en_US |
