Practices and Challenges of Gender –Responsive Pedagogy in Government Secondary Schools of South West Shoa Zone

The purpose of this study was to examine the practices and challenges of gender-responsive pedagogy (GRP) in government secondary schools of South West Shoa Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Three research questions were posed for determining the status of GRP, identifying hindering factors, and checking if mean differences exist among the schools towards the practices of  GRP. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was employed. One hundred sixty-four students and sixty-seven teachers were sampled using a random sampling method. Questionnaires, FGD, and document analysis were the data collecting tools. SPSS version 24 was used for analyzing the quantitative data. Mean, std. deviation, one-sample t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression statistical tools were used for analyzing the quantitative data as the qualitative data were analyzed thematically. To this end, three main findings were reported: 1, GRP  did not practice in gender-responsive ways. 2, Factors of  GRP that accounted for 76 % of the variance in the practices, examined through multiple regression. Among which only the gender-biased stereotype and teachers’ poor awareness have significantly explained the poor practices of GRP, β ≥ .437. 3).  The absence of statistical difference among the schools towards the practices of GRP was also part of the report. The qualitative data results supported that teachers discharged classroom professional responsibility in gender-insensitive ways. It validated that teachers use gendered language in classrooms, have low expectations for girl students, and were not aware of the troubles called by learners' sexual maturity and sexual harassment-related issues. Likewise, the classroom setup, classroom interactions, lesson plan preparation demonstrated teachers' negligence toward gender and the practices remained below the continuum of GRP. Finally, the researcher recommended awareness-raising training for both school communities and teachers, in particular on gender-related issues.