Initiatives of Ethiopian Government in Improving Females’ Participation in the General Secondary School Science Education

Abstract

The study was aimed to evaluate the status of male and female students in their instructional practices, particularly in science education under the GSSs of North Wollo Zone. To achieve the objective, Evaluative research was used. Documents of grade 10 national examination results were taken as the research pool. Of these, by considering their recentness, the researcher was selected the four year’s (2013-2016) national exam result documents purposively. Accordingly, the required data was collected by using document analysis, and it was analyzed quantitatively by percentage, mean, Chi-Square test, and Standardize residual test.  Sex (male and female), and the two extreme grade levels (“A” and “F” scores) were used as units of analysis. The finding of the analysis indicated how females were poor academically than their counterparts. The variations which observed between male and female students in terms of passing in to preparatory school by considering all nine courses, in terms of scoring “A”, and scoring “F” in the three science subjects were 3.75%, 47.81%, and 12.76% respectively. This inequality is confirmed by the Chi-Square test analysis which shows that the calculated x² value (1098.8) greater than the critical value of x² (5.02). This verifies that male and female students have scored differently in the science national examinations. As a result, it is possible to say that female students were poor performer than males especially in the science subjects. Consequently, the researcher concluded as, although the FAWE’s GRP is regarded as an important strategy to achieve gender equality in the instructional process, GSS female students of North Wollo Zone did not perform academically as males in the national examinations. Therefore, teachers’ GRP practices of the zone need to be assessed and evaluated; MoE and Regional Education Bureaus, in collaboration with other stakeholders should make a concerted effort and should take appropriate actions in order to solve this inequality. The GSSs GRP practices have to be investigated; roles played by teachers, students, schools in general towards GRP also need to be evaluated.

Keywords: General Secondary School; Gender, Initiative; Pedagogy; Science Education