OVERCOMING GENDER-BASED BARRIERS: EXPERIENCES OF FEMALE PRINCIPALS IN KAZAKHSTANI MAINSTREAM SCHOOLS.

Abstract

Gender disparity in school leadership exists in public schools in Kazakhstan, with men disproportionately occupying school leadership positions. Although women make up 76% of the public school teaching workforce in Kazakhstan, they only constitute 53% of school principals (OECD, 2019). Exploring the experiences of female school principals is essential to understanding the multiple factors linked to their underrepresentation in school leadership positions in public schools. This study explores the journeys of female school principals in ascending to and persisting in the role of a school principal in public urban and rural schools across two regions of Kazakhstan, where there is a notable prevalence of female teachers (ARKS, 2021). The aim is to uncover the reasons behind the gender leadership gap in public schools in the country, facilitating the identification of effective strategies to address the underrepresentation of women in school leadership positions.