INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 4, ISSUE 06, jUNE 2015 ISSN 2277-8616 12 IJSTR©2015 www.ijstr.org Factors Affecting Women Enrolment In Technical Institutions In Tanzania: A Case Study Of Arusha Technical College Glory B. Kaaya, Dr. Esther Waiganjo Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting women enrolment in Technical Institutions in Tanzania by focusing on the women. The study examined in detail the factors affecting women enrolment in Technical institutions and Arusha Technical College in particular as well as exploring sexual dynamics within Technical Institutions. Moreover a number of theoretical frameworks were concerned basing on the objectives; a case study design was employed involving both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data was collected through focus group discussion, questionnaires and observation at ATC. The finding of this study offers a framework of the understanding of the factors affecting women enrolment in Technical Institutions the report raised the recommendations that Colleges to conduct more sensitisation and awareness campaigns, Establishment of Pre-Entry Courses for female candidates in all institutes encourage industries and companies (Government and Private) to recruitment more female staff, Make use of educated and employed female role models to encourage girls to go to school, Educate the parents (community) on the importance of educating women and their role in the community and the Country at large and by increasing the PPP between MoEVT and other Educational stakeholders to work of factors affecting women enrolment in Technical Institutions. Key words: Women, gender, Technical and Vocational Education ———————————————————— 1:0 INTRODUCTION Achieving the goals of Education for All (EFA) has been a major concern of education in developing countries since 1990, but its realization does not seem to be easy. One of the major reasons that make realization of EFA difficult seems to be Socio Economic factors affecting women enrolment in Technical Institutions especially in Arusha Technical College. Dakar Framework of Action 2000 also indicated that EFA goals could not be achieved without promotion of girls’ education. Socio economic status of the family is among the factors affecting women enrolment in Technical Institutions since the cost which the families has to bear both directly and indirectly the family features hardships due to low profile of income and this has lead to failure to send women to school from primary level to higher level also not all the parents can afford to pay fees. Despite the significant rise in enrolment of women ratios in primary education over the past twenty years, gender gap remains relatively high in some parts of the world and it is more pronounced in Technical Institutions (UNESCO, 2000). Also provide material supports to women students as well as loss of fundamental helps at domestically land s works at home due to the fact that women students have less control and power in generating income in the family hence they cannot have any respect and status. Gender-based inequalities are marked in capitalist, socialist and formerly socialist societies, in rich and poor ones, in religious societies and in secular ones and in cultures where values of equality are cherished as well as in those committed to inequality (Malik & Lie, 1994). The Research have been made to identify factors affecting women enrolment in Technical Institutions but most of them seem to have been focusing on the conditions of Technical Institutions for women in identifying the socio economic factors such as the lack of progress schools for girls and the shortages of female teachers. Actions taken on the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals related to gender issues are executed within the framework of the Poverty Reduction Strategy II (2005). Measures taken by the Government of Tanzania are, among others, enforcing the Universal Primary Education (UPE) policy of (1999) which has increased the enrolment of both girls and boys in Primary Schools and reduced the gender gap between girls and boys in Primary Schools. In developing countries have been striving to realize the universalizality of primary education as well as to reduce illiteracy. To deal with with this problem, however, research should also be made from different aspects such as socio-economic dimension of Technical education. Noticing the very limited entrance of women to Technical level as well as gender inequality in Arusha, the study was conducted in January 2015 to the women students themselves in the Arusha Technical College so as to identify social-economic factors that might have affected on them. The training system in Tanzania gives an opportunity to students who are clever to select any of the suggested options/roots to undertake from primary to university levels. The system of education in the country is (2+7+4+2/3+3/4) years from Pre primary schools (1-2 years), secondary education taking four (4) years, advanced secondary education taking two (2) years or Technical Institution taking three years (3) and at the University level three or four years in engineering field. The results of the survey revealed that the levels of acknowledgment on the importance of education to female students by the parents were generally low. In Tanzania women are underprivileged in education and especially in science, technical & Vocational education and training (TVET). Low representation of women in education is one of the key causes of gender imbalance across all sectors of economy. Studies have indicated that gender imbalances in socioeconomic activities are closely linked to low enrolment of women students at all levels of education. For example, __________________________  Glory B. Kaaya: (Corresponding Author-Masters candidate at Jommo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology) Email contact: kaayag@yahoo.com  Dr. Esther Waiganjo: Jommo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology