Influence of Gender of Teachers of Agriculture on Classroom Diversity Management in Secondary Schools in Homa Bay County, Kenya

Recognition of diversity among learners� world over by teachers and school administrators� remains key in education. Teachers of Agriculture in secondary schools are aware of the existence of diversity among learners in their classes, but appear indifference in terms of demographic characteristics such as age, gender, level of training and years of teaching experience in managing learners with diversity in secondary schools. Although a number of studies have been conducted in Kenya on factors that affect learners� diversity management among teachers, much of such studies used cross sectional survey and were especially in the areas of special and inclusive education. The objective of this study was to examine the influence in gender of teachers of Agriculture on classroom diversity management in secondary schools in Homa Bay County, Kenya. A sample of 486 comprising of teachers and students of agriculture were considered in this study. Data collection instruments such as questionnaires and interview schedule were used and through a test-retest method during the pilot study an acceptable Cronbach�s coefficient Alpha of 0.79 were obtained. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. It is evident that there was statistically significant difference in scores for males (mean =2.788, SD=.586) and females [mean=3.104, SD=.525; t (87) = -2.636, p=.010], with female teachers of Agriculture recording higher scores in classroom diversity. Thus, the findings imply that gender of teachers of Agriculture had greater influence on their classroom diversity management in secondary schools in Homa Bay County, Kenya is statistically significant. The study recommends the need to balance gender with other demographic structures while posting teachers of agriculture to secondary schools to enhance classroom diversity management.