Prospects of women empowerment towards occupying influential posts in primary schools: a case of Kwekwe urban schools.

Abstract

The study explored the prospects of women empowerment towards occupying influential posts in primary schools. Three primary schools from Kwekwe urban circuit and the district office respectively constituted the population of the study. The study was guided by the feminist perspective. Data was gathered from heads, deputy heads, teachers’ in-charge and education inspectors by use of descriptive survey design. The research was guided by four research questions that focused on barriers, strategies, policies or programmes that influenced the success of women and how successful the strategies could promote the economic empowerment of women towards occupying influential leadership roles. The study established that gender inequality was caused by the impact of culture which necessitated gender roles, political disempowerment, gender stereotyping, role conflict and religious sects. The study found out that there is generally low level of women’s representation in leadership roles. However, the government, education stakeholders and community have the mandate to increase the levels of women participation representation in leadership roles by implementing the existing policies and laws which include gender affirmative action, gender policy and Sara Longwe empowerment model.