Women applying for leadership roles in Australian schools are more likely to face personal, social and systemic obstacles than men, according to new research.
An Australian Catholic University (ACU) study highlighted the significant underrepresentation of women in school leadership roles, with teachers from minority groups facing additional barriers due to discrimination based on race or ethnicity.
Nationally, men hold 31 per cent of leadership roles despite making up 21 per cent of the teaching profession.
In Queensland state schools, men hold 40% of principal roles. Holistic data is not readily available for the non-government sector, but anecdotal reports suggest similar trends.
Chief Investigator on the ACU study, Associate Professor Theresa Dicke, said gender bias and discrimination were driving disproportionate leadership representation.
