Gender Balance Phenomenon In Secondary Schools: Prospects And Challenges In Babati District

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to gain in depth understanding of the phenomenon of

gender balance in secondary schools and to document its prospects and challenges in

education. The study examined the state of gender balance in secondary schools and

explored teachers and students perception on gender balance in some selected

secondary schools in Babati District in Manyara. It also examined prospects and

challenges of gender balanced classroom in academic achievements. The study

employed a mixed method approach. A total 90 purposively sampled respondents

from six secondary schools participated in this study, which included 60 students, 24

teachers and 6 heads of the schools. The data were collected through interviews,

documentary review and focus group discussions qualitative data was analyzed

through descriptive content analysis, and quantitative data was calculated and

quantified in form of percentages.

The findings revealed that the source of gender disparity in secondary schools

emanated from family economic problem (poverty), cultural (girl child marriage,

gender role in the household) and individual factor (teenager‟s pregnancies and

truancy). Other sources include long distance to schools and lack of role models. The

researcher suggested various measures that can be done to reduce gender disparity in

Secondary schools, among them being providing guidance and counseling to girls

and community sensitization on the important of educating girls, existence and

effects of sexual harassments. It was further suggested that The Tanzania Institute of

Education to incorporate gender as a cross cutting issue in Secondary education

curriculum.

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