Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Experiences of Women Public School Heads

Abstract

Descriptive-assessment research using a questionnaire was employed to determine women public school heads’ experiences in leadership and management in the Schools Divisions in the Island of Samar. during School Year 2022 – 2023. The women public school heads’ experiences along leadership as to teamwork, high emotional quotient, and focus, and management as to planning organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling were assessed as highly manifested, as supported by supervisors and peers. Indeed, the women school heads experienced success in their leadership due to their evident strategic planning mechanism that involved all personnel for collaboration, with their high emotional quotient (EQ) corroborated by the perception of immediate supervisors and peers. However, women school headscandidly perceived their leadership experiences, particularly on focus, and management specifically on organizing and controlling functions as manifested only. Admittedly, poor communication skills, and apathetic in dealing with their teachers and other stakeholders. are their leadership weaknesses and can be presupposed as a gender gap between males and women leaders. Their weakness as risk-takers revealed management shortfall and manifested their difference from their male counterpart. The highly significant differences in perception of the three groups of respondents implied admission of women school heads’ short falls and would infer gender inequality. Women school heads’ profile variables except civil status had influenced their experiences along leadership and management. Hence, the more mature, more diligent and expert the women school heads would be, the better their students’ outcomes. Problems encountered by women school heads could be minimized had they been regularly monitored and evaluated. Their ontoward experiences along leadership and management components were the bases of their proposed Gender and Development (GAD) program.