Abstract

The research focuses on how many factors influence the academic competencies of female secondary school educators. The study set out to accomplish the research objective of identifying the factors that affect the competencies of female secondary school teachers. The study employed a descriptive research strategy. All female secondary school teachers in Central Punjab were included in the study population. Two hundred fifty female secondary school educators participated in the study. In order to get representative data from participants, the researchers used a random sampling method. In order to gather information from a research sample, a questionnaire was designed. Most study participants (93.6%) agreed that girls' schools impact female educators' abilities. Researchers found that all three contextual factors significantly affected how well women performed as secondary school educators.

Key Words

Female teacher, academic competencies, Secondary schools

Introduction

Teachers are at the vanguard of this revolutionary process because education plays such a critical role in determining the future of individuals and societies. In recent years, there has been an increasing understanding of the necessity of a varied teaching workforce with a considerable presence of female educators. This trend can be attributed to the fact that more and more people are becoming aware of the value of diversity in education. However, despite the growing number of female teachers in secondary schools, there are still questions about the academic competence of female teachers and the factors that influence their students' performance (Kashif and Ali, 2019). When it comes to supporting student accomplishment and ensuring that students receive a quality education, the academic competencies of instructors are essential (Malik, 2018; Warren, 2021; Nygaard et al., 2023). In particular, female educators bring to the classroom a variety of viewpoints, abilities, and qualities that are unique to themselves, which contribute to a more well-rounded educational experience. Researching the elements that could affect the academic skills of female instructors working in secondary schools is indispensable.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the complex elements that affect the academic skills of female teachers working in secondary schools. When policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders better grasp these characteristics, they may work together to address obstacles or disparities and build an inclusive and supportive atmosphere where female teachers can succeed professionally. Many different domains can be used to classify the elements that may influence the academic competencies of female teachers. These domains include personal characteristics, opportunities for professional growth, institutional support, and sociocultural issues. A variety of personal traits, such as beliefs about teaching effectiveness, levels of self-efficacy, and levels of motivation, may impact how female educators approach their tasks and obligations. Teachers' academic competencies can be positively impacted by participating in professional development opportunities such as training programs, workshops, and mentoring (Kilag, and Sasan, 2023). These activities can strengthen teachers' knowledge and skills.

The support their institutions offer in the form of leadership, administrative policies, and resources can significantly impact both the personal and professional development of female educators. In addition, the experiences and perspectives of female educators may be shaped by sociocultural variables such as gender stereotypes, societal expectations, and the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance (Adler, et al., 1992; Chen et al., 2021). It may affect the academic abilities of female educators.

A dynamic and enthusiastic educator in the modern day can effect positive change in the field of education and bring about new developments. One of the critical factors affecting a school's effectiveness and the learning outcomes of its respective student body is the performance level of its teachers. According to Naik (1998), teaching is an honourable and challenging career. Several factors influence the performance of instructors in various aspects (Iqbal, Hassan and Ali, 2015). Increased responsibilities, time demands, low compensation, and difficult-to-manage students influence teachers' views of their work. Teachers' performance is also negatively impacted when there is insufficient assistance from staff members working at all levels.

Various external services can either help or impede a teacher's competencies; Smith and Smith (1994) identify the internal elements that influence teachers' sense of success, and many of these services are available. The status of a teacher, respect in society, the professional attitude of teachers, mental health, teacher morale, responsibilities at home, a distance from the residing area, stress, political interference, posting in far-flung areas, discrimination, lack of cooperation, and working relations with staff and the head teacher are some of the issues that teachers face.

Every nation's educational system revolves primarily around its teaching staff. The presence of teachers is necessary for the utility of educational resources such as books, buildings, and classrooms. The teachers serve as motivation for the pupils to realize their aspirations for their lives in the future. They instil the fundamental principles of knowledge into their heads and hearts. When the teacher is knowledgeable enough to impart accurate information to the pupils, all these things will occur. The factors mentioned above, in addition to many others, impact the abilities of female secondary school teachers. In light of this circumstance, the purpose of this study was to investigate potential answers and make recommendations to remove the obstacles that stand in the way of the competency of instructors and make it possible for them to pass on important information to their pupils. The following is a list of the research objectives that were sought out for this study: to examine the factors affecting the competencies of female secondary school teachers.

Literature Review

The teaching profession is multifaceted and calls for the competencies of those skilled in the subject. Teaching is a challenging endeavour that calls for careful preparation to be carried out successfully. When they are planning how to improve their teaching, competent educators employ information and skill sets that are comprehensive, in-depth, and integrated. In order to accomplish this goal, educators update lesson plans and teaching materials. To be competent implies knowing how to teach individual units of knowledge, applications, and skills to students in an effective manner. According to Hemchand (2009), teachers are responsible for keeping track of the overall progress of their students, as well as monitoring, encouraging, and maintaining a score for each student. Additionally, it is required of them to be current with the latest innovations in their particular field.

Incentives play a vital part in the development of teachers' professional skills. Teachers will feel demotivated in their chosen careers if they are not given any incentives, such as money, admiration, or other things. It is generally agreed upon that teachers have a significant impact, both short- and long-term, on their students' educational and economic outcomes and that there is a wide range of quality among teachers, even though the systems currently in place for evaluating and compensating teachers are mainly consistent. This idea has garnered a relatively strong consensus. However, recent research on incentive programs for teachers has yielded evidence that is most discouraging about the possibility of improving educational results by aligning new incentives with specialized test-based measurements of teacher effectiveness.

According to Glazerman, Meyer, and Decker's (2006) research, random assignment to a "Teach for America" (TFA) teacher improves student performance by three percentile points in mathematics but has no discernible influence on reading scores. In addition, Clotfelter and colleagues (2008) discovered that providing a bonus to teachers who worked in high-poverty schools and taught courses with high student demand decreased teacher turnover. On the other hand, there was no performance-based targeting associated with this bonus. There is also some evidence (Glazerman et al., 2006) that a comprehensive induction program that provides two years of intensive support to beginning teachers (for example, mentoring, classroom observation, and feedback) can improve teacher performance, at least by the third year of their career (but has no detectable effects on teacher retention).

According to Puhan et al. (2014), there is a need for both a code of ethics for the teaching profession and specific training courses for teachers that would help them enhance their professional abilities and competencies. It represents a sustainable strategy to promote professional practice and enhance teacher quality by preparing and equipping teachers with skills to explore and teach complex ethical issues in the classroom. It is accomplished by preparing teachers with techniques to investigate and teach complex ethical issues. In the end, it will be helpful to the teacher in creating a conducive environment. Students will benefit from an environment conducive to learning, and instructors' skills and knowledge will improve. 

The kids look up to their teachers as role models, and in most rural villages, teachers are the most educated and well-respected members of the community. Teachers are the disseminators of knowledge who assist students in developing their comprehension, attitudes, abilities, learning, and fundamental values. While this is happening, those teachers are typically away from their classes, which negatively affects their pupils. Because of the high percentage of absence among teachers, the educational system is currently plagued with corruption.

According to Darling-Hammond (2000), it has been discovered over and again that a teacher's subject-matter knowledge is a critical component in determining their level of competency. However, its link to teaching performance is not linear; instead, it has a favourable effect up to a certain threshold level, after which it begins to have less and less impact. More frequently than not, it has been discovered that measures of pedagogical knowledge, including an understanding of learning and knowledge of teaching methods and curriculum, influence teaching performance. These elements frequently exert effects that are even more powerful than understanding the subject area.

According to Hanushek (2003), government policies that target school resources, such as increasing the educational requirements for teachers, still need to increase quality successfully. There needs to be a clear connection between the quality of teachers and the academic performance of their students, as seen by the high standards for teacher certification. In addition, there is a possibility that some qualified educators would prefer to refrain from participating in particular classes; as a result, the pool of potential applicants is decreased. On the other hand, Darling-Hammond, Berry, and Thoreson (2001) emphasized how difficult it is to generalize the qualifications of teachers based just on their certification status. It is because regular and short-term certifications work under vastly varied requirements in each state in the United States.

Ferguson (2003) looked at the outcomes that instructors got on a license test that measured their pedagogical abilities and subject knowledge. They connected the result and student accomplishment and discovered that these factors were more influential than class size and overall school size. After controlling for the social background of the pupils, differences in the levels of accomplishment between black and white students may be explained by differences in the quality of their teachers.

A longitudinal study conducted by Demaray and Elliot (1998) found that highly qualified teachers considerably impacted the academic performance of high school students in mathematics and science. This study evaluated teacher qualifications based on education level, years of experience, and pedagogical approach. Evertson, Hawley, and Zlotnik (1985) conducted a study comparing highly educated teachers to teachers with lower levels of education. The findings indicated that kids whose teachers had higher levels of education made more excellent academic progress. They also demonstrated that there was a connection between achievement and the subject matter expertise of teachers.

When the kids' backgrounds were held constant, neither the teacher salaries nor the class sizes showed any meaningful influence on the results. Wayne and Young (2003) conducted a review in which they looked at the data on teacher qualities and test results in a sample from the United States. They controlled for students' prior achievement as well as their socioeconomic level. Due to the lack of accessible research, Wayne and Young could not conclude the significance of academic degrees and courses for primary school teachers. However, the findings demonstrated that the level of mathematics achievement among high school students improved when their teachers possessed standard certification.

At the school level, factors such as support, financing, training, and facilities all have a role in determining whether or not instructors adopt and integrate technology into their classrooms and their overall level of competency. It is only possible to successfully integrate computers into classroom instruction by first investing in the professional development of teachers. ICT-related training programs increase teachers' competencies in computer use (Bauer & Kenton, 2005). These programs also influence teachers' attitudes towards computers and assist instructors in reorganizing the role of technology and how new technology tools are significant in student learning (Plair, 2008). 

Through the process of collaboration, educators can incorporate a variety of concepts, methods, and experiences into their classes. According to Williams (2010), collaboration can build self-efficacy since it enables instructors to demonstrate their competence in their professional lives. Self-efficacy can be defined as confidence in their ability to carry out a plan of action and handle challenging circumstances. According to Williams (2010), effective teacher collaboration allows educators to reflect on their teaching methods and develop a greater sense of self-assurance in their professional capabilities. 

The teachers used to be given transport as part of the facilities, but that perk is no longer being considered. Because of this, instructors need to address transportation challenges. They have a limited income, which prevents them from being able to afford private transportation to manage their transportation needs. A little more than half of the revenue is kept by the transporter for themselves. In addition, they will require assistance with this problem. There is a connection between lodging and transportation.

It has been noticed that most teachers not only work in locations that are remote from the cities, villages, or districts they are native but also change jobs regularly. It takes time for people to adjust to new environments because that is just how humans are. They are never able to get accustomed to the schools and the kids, which results in a significant decrease in their production. Teachers are often posted away from the cities, villages, or districts in which they were born and are subsequently subjected to numerous moves. It also has another facet to it, which is that the students also need time to come to know the teacher, and the only way for them to speak constructively with each other is once they fully understand one another. In addition, frequent moves disrupt teachers' home lives, particularly their children's education.  

When production exceeds demand, there is the opportunity for formal education. Where there is an economy based on subsistence, the availability of labour will be contingent on factors such as soil fertility, the abundance of mineral deposits, and the appropriate climatic conditions. For this reason, less developed and poorer nations mandate a certain level of education for their youngsters. In contrast, industrially advanced countries require a lengthier amount of time spent by practically all their children attending school. The individual's level of financial stability might affect the overall quality of their educational experience.  

The socioeconomic structure of a civilization is mirrored in its educational system. Depending on the neighbourhood in which a teacher resides, even the general social environment she moves into might positively or negatively impact her emotional health. Some people at the school are unfriendly, aggressive, and prone to having sudden outbursts of wrath. The teachers and other people at the school have encountered a predominantly suspicious and disturbing dispute. The educator can barely avoid being emotionally affected by the students' interactions with one another. Various societal issues impact teaching abilities and may create roadblocks that make it difficult to carry out the learning process in an orderly fashion.

According to Akhtar and Pestonjee (1963), the physical environment is another significant factor in determining one's overall health—the calming and pleasant effects of a desired, healthy, and aesthetically appealing environment. Even in toxic environments, it has the potential to foster feelings of emotional harmony and equilibrium. On the other hand, it can potentially become a source of great emotional distress and disruption. These disruptions constitute a considerable barrier to the efficient delivery of instruction. How can instructors perform their jobs well if the environment is unfit for human habitation?

Research Methodology

The researchers who worked on this study primarily relied on the descriptive research approach. According to Ezeani (1998), descriptive research entails collecting in-depth and factual information describing current phenomena. For information gathering, a survey approach was utilized.

All of the female secondary school teachers working in the secondary schools across the three districts of Punjab province (Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, and Sialkot) were included in the study as members of the population. The researchers used a straightforward random sampling method to choose the sample of 250 female secondary school teachers from the larger population under investigation.

A questionnaire was developed to collect the information as part of the research process. In order to arrive at the right decisions, the items on the questionnaire were devised by the objectives. The researchers designed the questionnaire. According to the research project's goals, the researcher designed the questionnaire with three different characteristics (economic, social, and environmental aspects)—all three of the criteria discussed before impact female teachers' skills in secondary schools. The researcher compiled a questionnaire with fifty different questions. After that, we gave the questionnaire to the participants in the pilot study. A preliminary questionnaire was conducted with 25 respondents not part of the main study population.

In the first step of the research process, the researchers sought validation of the questionnaire from both the experts and the supervisor. After the validation procedure was complete, the questionnaire consisted of 45 questions. The following step that the researchers took was to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined to be 0.78 Alpha on a global scale. The items are iteratively produced during this process of validating and establishing reliability. In the end, the questionnaire was finalized with 30 items.

The researchers gave the questionnaire to the study's representative sample of participants. The researchers travelled to the study sample, mailed the questionnaire to the respondents, and finally gathered the data from fifty individuals who filled out the questionnaire. The researchers relied on Version 21 of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for the statistical analysis. The researchers employed the statistical methods of the mean score, the standard deviation, the variance, the frequency, the percentage score, the cumulative percentage, the minimum score, and the maximum score. Graphical representations of the analyzed data were also provided in this report.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

The data composed through a questionnaire was analyzed and interpreted because of the study's primary objective. The analysis and interpretation of the data are given below;

Table 1

Mean score	Frequency	Per cent	Cumulative Percent
2.43	11	4.4	4.4
2.57	4	1.6	6.0
2.71	2	.8	6.8
2.86	2	.8	7.6
3.00	7	2.8	10.4
3.14	11	4.4	14.8
3.29	29	11.6	26.4
3.43	26	10.4	36.8
3.57	27	10.8	47.6
3.71	19	7.6	55.2
3.86	5	2.0	57.2
4.00	25	10.0	67.2
4.14	26	10.4	77.6
4.29	13	5.2	82.8
4.43	23	9.2	92.0
4.57	17	6.8	98.8
5.00	3	1.2	100.0
Total	250	100.0

 The analysis of the above-mentioned table is informed in the following lines;
? The mean score ranges from 2.43 to 5.00.
? The most frequently occurring mean score is 3.29, with a frequency of 29.
? The cumulative per cent column shows the cumulative percentage of responses up to each mean score.
? A bar chart visualizes the distribution of mean scores as under;

Figure 1



Table 2

Mean score	Frequency	Per cent	Cumulative Percent
2.00	6	2.4	2.4
2.25	2	.8	3.2
2.38	5	2.0	5.2
2.50	3	1.2	6.4
2.63	2	.8	7.2
2.75	2	.8	8.0
3.00	6	2.4	10.4
3.13	10	4.0	14.4
3.25	14	5.6	20.0
3.38	9	3.6	23.6
3.50	27	10.8	34.4
3.63	34	13.6	48.0
3.75	20	8.0	56.0
3.88	23	9.2	65.2
4.00	40	16.0	81.2
4.13	8	3.2	84.4
4.25	20	8.0	92.4
4.38	8	3.2	95.6
4.50	9	3.6	99.2
4.75	2	.8	100.0
Total	250	100.0

 The analysis of the above-mentioned table is informed in the following lines;
? The mean score ranges from 2.00 to 4.75.
? The most frequently occurring mean score is 3.63, with a frequency of 34.
? The cumulative per cent column shows the cumulative percentage of responses up to each mean score.
? A bar chart visualizes the distribution of mean scores as under;

Figure 2



Table 3

Mean score	Frequency	Per cent	Cumulative Percent
2.53	2	.8	.8
2.67	3	1.2	2.0
2.80	7	2.8	4.8
2.87	2	.8	5.6
2.93	2	.8	6.4
3.00	2	.8	7.2
3.07	7	2.8	10.0
3.13	5	2.0	12.0
3.20	6	2.4	14.4
3.27	2	.8	15.2
3.33	14	5.6	20.8
3.40	5	2.0	22.8
3.47	14	5.6	28.4
3.53	3	1.2	29.6
3.60	21	8.4	38.0
3.67	5	2.0	40.0
3.73	15	6.0	46.0
3.80	7	2.8	48.8
3.87	26	10.4	59.2
3.93	11	4.4	63.6
4.00	17	6.8	70.4
4.07	10	4.0	74.4
4.13	7	2.8	77.2
4.20	13	5.2	82.4
4.27	3	1.2	83.6
4.33	11	4.4	88.0
4.40	5	2.0	90.0
4.47	11	4.4	94.4
4.53	3	1.2	95.6
4.60	9	3.6	99.2
4.80	2	.8	100.0
Total	250	100.0

 The analysis of the above-mentioned table is informed in the following lines;
? The mean score ranges from 2.53 to 4.80.
? The most frequently occurring mean score is 3.60, with a frequency of 21.
? The cumulative per cent column shows the cumulative percentage of responses up to each mean score.
? A bar chart visualizes the distribution of mean scores as under;

Figure 3



Table 4

	Mean Score	Standard Deviation	Variance	Minimum	Maximum	Per%
Factor 1	3.73	.58	.33	2.43	5	92.4
Factor 2	3.67	.54	.29	2.00	4.75	92%
Factor 3	3.78	.48	.23	2.53	4.80	93.6%

The results of combining the findings from the economic, social, and environmental components are presented in Table 4. The average score on the criteria went up from 3.67 to 3.78 throughout the study. The vast majority of respondents (93.68%) believe that environmental circumstances impact the competence of female teachers working in secondary schools. On the other hand, the respondents believe that social elements in our culture affect the abilities of female teachers (92% agreed). 

Findings And Conclusion

Various variables stemming from our stereotypically structured social system impact female secondary school teachers' competencies. According to the findings of the study, there are three different components: environmental factors, social factors, and economic considerations. Most respondents (92%) believe that social variables are more significant than the other aspects in determining the abilities of female secondary school teachers. The social issues include residential problems, distance from school, family favour, being fit and healthy for the teaching profession, the professional attitude of teachers, society's respect for teachers, and a lack of regard for female teachers. Also included in this category is the respect that society has for instructors. The competencies of secondary school teachers are impacted due to these issues. The economic issues include satisfaction with their earnings and benefits, a poor economic standing, a poor economic status for the area, which causes demotivation, the standard of living, low salaries and obstacles, and a poor pay package, which causes a mental disturbance.

Environmental influences highly impact the skills of female secondary school teachers in all three areas. The majority of respondents (93.6%) agreed that environmental circumstances affect female instructors' competencies. The environmental issues include professional jealousy, timetable adjustments, overcrowded classrooms, a lack of discipline, library resources, the behaviour of the headmistress, and the behaviour of colleagues who misbehaved.

Recommendations

The recommendations of the study are as under;

? The study may recommend that the government increase teachers’ salaries and increments.

? It may be recommended that female teachers transfer to schools near them.

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