Authors: Consolata Mbalilaki (Saint Augustine University of Tanzania) and Daniel Oduor Onyango, PhD (Saint Augustine University of Tanzania)
Abstract: This study sought to investigate the factors contributing to underrepresentation of female teachers in leadership positions in public secondary schools in Sumbawanga Municipality. The study employed the mixed research approach and convergent parallel research design. The Study sampled a total of 100 respondents out of a population of 687 educational stakeholders. These included 87 teachers, 5 heads of schools, 1 Municipality Executive Officer, 1 Regional Officer, 1 Municipality Education Officer and 5 head prefects. Purposive sampling technique was used to select students, heads of schools as well as all education officers while simple random sampling was used to select teachers. Questionnaire and interview guides were used to collect data. The study concludes that factors that hindered female teachers’ participation in school leadership was lack of consideration of gender when appointing school leaders and nothing else since all possible factors that were suggested in the questionnaire were denied by teachers of both genders. Therefore, gender biasness was a major factor that that brought about the gender imbalance in school leadership positions in the schools under investigation. The study therefore recommends that the appointing authorities should be guided by the affirmative action policy in the appointment of school heads. This will contribute to appointment of more women to leadership positions such as schools heads.