Promoting gender equity in school leadership appointments: A comparison of male and female headteachers’ instructional leadership practices in Ghana

Abstract

Ghana’s efforts to end all forms of discrimination against women and ensure gender equity in school leadership appointments require a change in peoples’ mindsets, habits and cultural beliefs. It is envisaged that evidence on the performance of the few women who have been appointed into leadership positions against their male counterparts would be quite instrumental in the change process. This study, therefore, assessed whether statistically significant differences exist in the extent to which male and female headteachers in two selected educational districts in Ghana enact instructional leadership practices in their schools. Utilizing a descriptive survey design and employing the teacher version of the principal instructional management rating scale, 263 teachers participated in the study. Findings from the study showed that there were no significant differences between male and female headteachers in none of the ten instructional leadership functions explored in the study. This meant that male headteachers in the selected educational districts did not significantly demonstrate any superior instructional leadership practices compared to their female counterparts. The study recommends that educational policymakers in Ghana initiate pragmatic policies to increase women’s representation and participation in school leadership roles.