Effect of Socio-Cultural Factors on Women’s Participation in Leadership of Higher Education in Rwanda: A Case of Rwanda Polytechnics

Abstract

This study explored the effects of social cultural factors on women’s participation level in leadership positions. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Data was collected using questionnaires. A sample of a total of 72 respondents was used in this study. These included 72 female teachers of 5 IPRCs in Rwanda. The data obtained through questionnaires were analyzed quantitatively using SPSS. The findings showed that socio-cultural factors were affecting women in IPRCs and resulting in their underrepresentation in leadership positions in Polytechnic Institutions in Rwanda (r=0.661). In addition, this meant that the relationship between socio-cultural factors of women and their participation in Polytechnic Institutions in Rwanda was strong. The R- squared of 0.550 implied that a unit change in socio-cultural factors predicts 0.767 changes in the participation of women in Polytechnic Institutions in Rwanda. The F-value of 36.241 and the corresponding p-value (p = 0.001) which is less than 0.05 implied that socio-cultural factors affects the representation of women teaching in Polytechnic Institutions in Rwanda. The study concluded that family responsibilities regulated by socio-cultural norms, women involvement, various cultural aspects and religion have an influence on their participation in leadership. The study strongly recommended that all appropriate stakeholders should make a concerted effort to ensure that the different institutions of society (families, schools, universities, communities and the government) respect Rwandan women’s rights. This request to meet their needs and requirements by means of laws, rules policies, economic empowerment, up-skilling, procedures, standards, daily practices and national forums on gender inequality. It also requires identifying and developing strategies for dealing with the existing gender issues and concerns in higher educational institutions in order to increase women’s participation in leadership positions.