Women in Learning Leadership: Ghana
Barriers, enablers and policy pathways
Highlights
Ghana has made strong progress towards gender equality in education, with women making up half of the basic education teaching workforce. Yet only one in five basic schools is led by a woman. This report explores why women remain underrepresented in school leadership despite having qualifications and experience comparable to or exceeding those of their male counterparts.
Drawing on a nationally representative survey and qualitative interviews, the study finds that the leadership gap is driven largely by systemic barriers rather than differences in merit. Restrictive gender norms, unequal domestic responsibilities, limited mobility for rural postings, and insufficient mentorship and leadership support continue to limit women’s progression into leadership roles. Despite these challenges, women headteachers demonstrate high levels of resilience and job satisfaction.
The report outlines practical recommendations to strengthen school leadership while advancing gender equality. These include making recruitment and promotion more transparent, expanding leadership training and mentorship, improving support for women serving in rural areas, and addressing harmful gender norms through coordinated action across the education system. Together, these measures can help unlock women’s leadership potential and contribute to stronger schools and better learning outcomes for all children.
