Women teachers' attitudes and aspirations towards participation in school leadership positions

Abstract

Globally, there is an augmentation of women's participation in leadership positions in various organizations, yet representation of women in the main decision-making body is still a problem and Bhutan is not an exception. In the context of the under representation of women in school leadership positions, the study was carried out to explore the attitudes and aspirations of women teachers towards school leadership positions in western Bhutan. The study employed a convergent mixed-method design to comprehend the problem of the research. The data was collected using survey questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions [FGD]. Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the attitudes and aspirations of women teachers towards school leadership positions. The findings of the study revealed that women teachers have a positive attitude towards school leadership positions (Mean = 5.48, SD = 0.28). The qualitative findings also supported this positive predisposition. Most of FGD participants expressed confidence in their ability to be effective leaders. However, a significant proportion (42.3%) indicated a lack of aspiration for leadership roles. Additionally, the study identified barriers such as family responsibilities, societal stereotypes, and educational qualifications that hinder women's aspirations for leadership roles. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations for practical implementation and potential avenues for future research are put forward.