Breaking the glass ceiling: an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in South Africa
This research study adopted a social constructivist worldview to explore the gendered barriers that hinder female leaders’ progression into leadership positions in schools. The study employed a qualitative approach, to delve into the experiences of female school leaders. Purposive sampling was used...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Cogent Social Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2024.2395342 |
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| author | Damilola Adinyenka Akinola Parvathy Naidoo |
| author_facet | Damilola Adinyenka Akinola Parvathy Naidoo |
| author_sort | Damilola Adinyenka Akinola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This research study adopted a social constructivist worldview to explore the gendered barriers that hinder female leaders’ progression into leadership positions in schools. The study employed a qualitative approach, to delve into the experiences of female school leaders. Purposive sampling was used to select female school principals, deputy principals, and departmental heads from three public schools in the Johannesburg Central district. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, and qualitative content analysis techniques were applied to analyze the data. Key findings revealed that female school leaders follow deliberate and structured paths to attain leadership positions, emphasizing the importance of a methodical approach. Gender bias, disrespect, family related challenges and inequality persists within the workplace, affecting interactions with colleagues and school governing bodies, though most female candidates make strides to overcome these challenges through their mentoring and open communication. Participants’ lived experiences reflect both positive and negative aspects, influenced by the perspectives and attitudes of others. Recommendations include ongoing training and mentorship programs for female leaders, tailored to address their unique needs and challenges. Schools should establish transparent and bias-free evaluation processes to provide equal opportunities for leadership roles, promoting inclusivity and diversity, leading to quality relevant education. Continuous evaluation of these initiatives is crucial to ensure their effectiveness in fostering gender equality in school leadership. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the gendered barriers faced by female school leaders and provides actionable recommendations to promote their advancement in educational leadership roles, ultimately benefiting the educational system. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d49cb8b5d9594bdbb2f5d3658a62de3c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2331-1886 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cogent Social Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-d49cb8b5d9594bdbb2f5d3658a62de3c2025-08-20T03:44:11ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Social Sciences2331-18862024-12-0110110.1080/23311886.2024.2395342Breaking the glass ceiling: an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in South AfricaDamilola Adinyenka Akinola0Parvathy Naidoo1Department of Leadership and Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South AfricaDepartment of Leadership and Management, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South AfricaThis research study adopted a social constructivist worldview to explore the gendered barriers that hinder female leaders’ progression into leadership positions in schools. The study employed a qualitative approach, to delve into the experiences of female school leaders. Purposive sampling was used to select female school principals, deputy principals, and departmental heads from three public schools in the Johannesburg Central district. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, and qualitative content analysis techniques were applied to analyze the data. Key findings revealed that female school leaders follow deliberate and structured paths to attain leadership positions, emphasizing the importance of a methodical approach. Gender bias, disrespect, family related challenges and inequality persists within the workplace, affecting interactions with colleagues and school governing bodies, though most female candidates make strides to overcome these challenges through their mentoring and open communication. Participants’ lived experiences reflect both positive and negative aspects, influenced by the perspectives and attitudes of others. Recommendations include ongoing training and mentorship programs for female leaders, tailored to address their unique needs and challenges. Schools should establish transparent and bias-free evaluation processes to provide equal opportunities for leadership roles, promoting inclusivity and diversity, leading to quality relevant education. Continuous evaluation of these initiatives is crucial to ensure their effectiveness in fostering gender equality in school leadership. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the gendered barriers faced by female school leaders and provides actionable recommendations to promote their advancement in educational leadership roles, ultimately benefiting the educational system.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2024.2395342Breaking the glass ceilinggender barriersgender disparitygender equalityreduced inequalitiesschool leadership |
| spellingShingle | Damilola Adinyenka Akinola Parvathy Naidoo Breaking the glass ceiling: an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in South Africa Cogent Social Sciences Breaking the glass ceiling gender barriers gender disparity gender equality reduced inequalities school leadership |
| title | Breaking the glass ceiling: an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in South Africa |
| title_full | Breaking the glass ceiling: an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Breaking the glass ceiling: an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Breaking the glass ceiling: an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in South Africa |
| title_short | Breaking the glass ceiling: an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in South Africa |
| title_sort | breaking the glass ceiling an examination of gendered barriers in school leadership progression in south africa |
| topic | Breaking the glass ceiling gender barriers gender disparity gender equality reduced inequalities school leadership |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2024.2395342 |
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