The Status Of Women Representation In School Committees: The Case Of Selected Primary Schools In Mbeya City, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the status of women representation in school committees in Mbeya city council, Tanzania. It was mainly qualitative and supported by some elements of quantitative research approach with a cross-sectional survey design. Study samples were drawn using purposive and random sampling techniques to obtain 6 public primary schools, with 50 respondents who included; CBEO, CAO, 6 SCCs, 6 HTs and 36 SMSC. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and documentary review. The collected data were analyzed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. Findings from the study revealed that women are under-represented in school committees, are good role models, highly considerate on students’ matters, had regular attendance in committee meetings, they mostly remained silent in committee meetings and they are good in accommodating work or committee challenges. Also it was found that women under-representation in school committees is influenced by male domination and patriarchy system, women were overloaded with gender and family responsibilities, discouragement from some fellow women on accomplishing committee duties, there was unawareness of community members on importance of gender balanced committees, with low attendance of women in committee elections and there was an unequal access to quality education for girls as well as women. It is recommended that gender balanced school committees can be attained through gender balance in education, encouraging women cooperation in committee elections as well as works and community gender awareness campaigns. Also, capacity building for women in leadership skills, periodic review of school committee guidelines, scheduling of committee meetings to consider women’s roles and school committees and successful women initiating gender balance in school committees.