Women's effectiveness in school leadership: The case of Awi Nationality administrative zone primary schools, Ethiopia

Research on the effectiveness of women in school leadership roles is plentiful in general literature. However, there is a notable scarcity of studies focusing on the effectiveness of women principals within Ethiopia's primary education system. This study examined the perceived effectiveness of women school principals' vis-à-vis the national professional standards for school principals in Ethiopia. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 147 teachers of which 85 male and 62 women selected through a comprehensive sampling procedure. A survey questionnaire was employed to gather relevant information, and both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The study found that women were perceived positively as effective school leaders across key dimensions of Ethiopia's national professional standards. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in perceptions between male and women teachers in three dimensions (in fostering school vision and community leadership, t(145) = 1.013, p = .313, in instructional leadership, t(145) = .46 and p = .646 and in administrative leadership, t(145) = .791 and p = .43. The findings suggest the importance of boosting more women to pursue leadership roles in schools by encouraging successful women leaders and providing targeted training. These recommendations are particularly relevant for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers interested in promoting gender equality and effective leadership in the education sector. © 2024 The Authors