An Assessment of Teacher’s perception and practice of Gender equality in education; in Case of secondary school Hintalo Woreda, Tigray Region, Ethiopi

Abstract

Having its desperate importance and great effort of governmental and nongovernmental organization to achieve gender equality in education, this study intended to critically assess teacher’s perception and practice of gender equality in education in woreda Hintalo secondary schools. mixed research approach was selected by involving interview, questionnaire; focused group discussion and document study as data collection instruments. collected data was analyzed carefully with both descriptive and inferential statistics. under descriptive statics measurement, such as, frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used where as in inferential statistics ANOVAs variance and T-test were employed. The results of descriptive statistics revealed that most of teacher’s have favorable perception about gender equality but they lack skills to practice. Harmful traditional practice, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and bullies found to be challenges to practice gender equality whereas teacher’s lacks knowledge and skills to respond to gender based violence in education. ANOVAs variance revealed that teacher’s demographic characteristics, such as, teachers’ subject background and level of education have no significant difference on perception, practice, challenges and teachers’ respond to gender based violence in their schools. However, significant difference found with age and teaching experience on challenges to practice gender equality in education. Independent T-test found the significant difference between male and female teachers with perception practice and teachers’ respond to gender based violence in their school. However significant difference not found between sexes with challenges to practice gender equality in education. On other hand significant difference not revealed with school types on perception, practice and teachers’ respond to gender based violence except on challenges to practice gender equality in education. Based on the results of finding it is recommended that teachers should be trained on gender and sexual reproductive health to avoid bias they brought to class and to identify students with problems. For stance there should be the existence of inclusive and active gender clubs, separate toilet, school counselor, policies, procedures rules and regulations should be protect female students from intimidation, sexual harassment, sexual abuse and sanitary pad in the school, school communities, government and other concern bodies should work together to support students, awareness should created at family level by sharing roles boys and girls equally