An assessment of the employment of women professionals in the North West department of education

Abstract

The main focus of this study was to assess the level of women empowerment in the North West Department of Education. This was done through the evaluation of five dimensions, namely: awareness, commitment, policy and decision-making, implementation of programmes as well as capacity building. The study was conducted using a quantitative research methodology, with a questionnaire used as the primary data collection tool. The findings revealed that male and female respondents are unaware that gender issues were discussed at high level meetings of the department as well as in the documentation. Male and female respondents also differed on their perceptions of the department's commitment to women empowerment. Male respondents do not believe that the department is not doing enough to empower women, whereas female respondents believe that the department is not doing enough to empower them. In terms of exposing women employees to policy and decision making processes, it was found that the department is lacking in this regard. Women are of the opinion that capacity building for women empowerment has not been pursued by the Department. It is recommended that the Department should dedicate the function of implementing all facets of women empowerment to a senior manager. In addition, high ranking officials of the Department of Education need to lead a conscious campaign of supporting all the initiatives which the department embarks on to empower women. To fast track the recruitment and development of female employees at senior levels, the Department should develop a talent management programme which, among other things, could deliberately target carefully selected female middle managers whom it could groom for senior positions. Moreover, it is suggested that the Department should stick to its employment equity targets in order to increase the number of senior women managers. This will help in changing the perception that women do not participate in decision making processes at the executive level. Full implementation of these targets will have to be time framed and every middle manager should be made aware of this.