Breaking the Glass Ceiling In Kenya: Defining Attributes Of Trailblazing Women in Higher Education Leadership Positions

Abstract

Patriarchal issues, in which the women's role was to always take care of the family and pursue motherly duties have hampered women’s quest for ascendency to leadership positions, and more so in Africa.  Yet, as the years and generations pass, women are just as capable to be a leader in big companies, yet due to past traditions they are still viewed as the caretaker of the family. The objective of the study was to presents in detail the attributes of the women trailblazers in higher education leadership in Kenya. A feminist approach problematizes the gendered relations in universities which research has pointed to inequalities in the distribution of resources and opportunities.This study is situated within the African Feminist theoretical framework because it is central to the fight against oppression of women in Africa and has granted women a platform to voice their concerns. The plank of African feminism postulates that, in many parts of Africa, women strive to bear and rear children in addition to having economic and political roles. This theory underpinned this study because African feminist perspective problematizes the blatant discrimination against women in all cadres, particularly in leadership levels across institutions. The study was qualitative in nature and was based on a census survey design. The research targeted 107 women in leadership ranks of principals, research centers’ directors, deans, and heads of departments, as well as deputy vice-chancellors and vice-chancellors across the 32 public universities.The results from the study are mainly based on a verbatim narrative of 18 women leaders in response to the research questions. Some of the 18 participants currently occupy senior leadership positions and small number of former leaders that have since completed their terms, retired or moved on to leadership positions outside the university. Overall the respondents are associated with 12 of the 32 public universities in Kenya. The study answered the research question: What is the defining attributes of the women in higher education leadership in Kenya? The study found that the attributes can be broadly categorized as leadership style and quest for identity, the right skillset, education, and training, activism and collaboration, reliance on role models and mentors, demonstration of ambition and standing out, and being an embodiment of spiritual values. The study concluded that it’s through the exposition of this attributes that the women in higher education leadership have been able to break the glass ceiling.