Career Development Prospects of Women Teachers in the Schools of Samarinda City

Abstract

The aim of this research was to describe the obstacles of improving women teachers’ career development prospects (internal and external factors) and analyze the government regulation in determining the headmaster of the elementary school in Samarinda City. The population of this reseach consisted of 150 students selected from 10,036 students by using random sampling. They were 60 students from elementary school, 50 students from junior high school, and 40 students from senior high school. This research was done using the qualitative approach. Data gathering tool used was purposive sampling by the snowball method. By using this technique, the researcher expected to obtain adequate key informants. To secure the data validity, triangulation of data sources was applied. The data analysis techniques used were interactive analysis model, which has three components, namely, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing, and gender analysis model. The research result indicates that the obstacles of improving women teachers’ career prospects include internal and external factors. The main internal obstacle of improving women teachers’ career prospects in occupying the position of the headmaster is the lack of aspiration and motivation of women teachers—They are satisfied with their own condition. They have anxieties that by occupying the position of headmaster, they will have more responsibilities for it. The lower desire to compete with men teachers in occupying the headmaster position and the unwillingness to have mutations are the obstacles of women teachers to occupy the position of headmaster. The main external factor hampering the improvement of women teachers’ career prospects in occupying the position of the headmaster is the regulation of government in occupying the position of headmaster. It stated that one of the requirements for women teachers to be a headmaster should be a level lower than a headmaster or vice headmaster. Other factors include the lack of opportunities for women teachers to follow the training and other scientific activities because of lack of socialization.