Perceptions of women administrators on the leadership challenges they face: a case study of female headteachers in Mbale district

Abstract

DISSERTATION The major aim of the research was to discover what challenges women head teachers of secondary schools in Mbale district faced in their career as administrators and to find out how they are coping with the challenges they faced. The researcher also sought to explore whether there were strengths of women that could be developed to promote transformational leadership in Uganda schools. The number of female head teachers in secondary schools is so small compared to that of the male head teachers in Mbale district. Out of the 30 secondary schools only 8 of them are headed by female teachers which is about 26.4%. A case study research was conducted in eight secondary schools headed by females. The findings of this study have shown that gender bias and discrimination was the most common challenge. It was recommended that strengths of women leadership should be acknowledged and developed if equity for all is to be achieved.