Exploring the Experiences of Female Science Teachers in Navigating Professional Challenges in Northern Nigerian Secondary Schools

This study explored the professional experiences of female Science teachers navigating workplace challenges in secondary schools in Northern Nigeria. Female science teachers occupy a doubly marginalised position in many Northern Nigerian school contexts, facing both gender-based workplace dynamics and the broader systemic challenges of underfunded science departments. A qualitative phenomenological design was employed. Twenty-four female Science teachers from secondary schools in Kano, Sokoto, Borno, and Niger States were selected through purposive and snowball sampling. In-depth interviews and reflective written accounts were used for data collection. Data were transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three dominant experiential themes emerged: the burden of double invisibility encompassing both gender and science-related marginalisation; resilience-building through peer networks and professional community; and the tension between professional ambition and domestically framed social expectations. Participants described systemic undermining from male colleagues and administration, alongside the motivating influence of student success. The study makes an original contribution to the qualitative science education literature in Northern Nigeria by centring the lived experience of female science educators. Recommendations included formalised female teacher support networks, gender-sensitive school leadership training, and policy provisions addressing workplace safety and equity for female educators in Northern Nigerian schools. Keywords: female science teachers, professional challenges, Northern Nigeria, phenomenology, gender in education.