Gender Equality in Schools: Implications for the Curriculum, Teaching and Classroom Interaction

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The paper recommends changes needed to ensure that educational provision will promote gender equality in schools. The slogan “Education For All (EFA)” means enrolling and retaining all girls and boys in school. It is also about ensuring that girls and women of all ages develop their potential through education and are able to ensure their full and equal participation in building a better world. In Nigeria, the curriculum, a key piece of national legislation, is often amended after changes in government or as a result of the influence of powerful social movements.

            In order to increase demand for girls’ education, the value and relevance of the education must be clear. Gender equity can be associated with a superficial focus on girls’ education to the exclusion of boys. There is a need to go beyond simple access issues and ensure a comprehensive understanding of gender. Making schools more “girl-friendly,” and gender equitable means challenging the culture of authority, hierarchy, and social control in the majority of schools. At a general level, it would mean changes to curriculum, the breaking down of hierarchies and power networks that exclude girls and women. Head teachers and teachers would have a greater understanding of the conditions which lead to bullying, racism, sexism, and homophobic behaviour, replacing them with more successful forms of intervention.

To achive gender-equitable education there are some ways that can be used :

·         Make curricula and teaching more gender equitable

·         Head Teachers should Move beyond gender stereotypes and investigate the schools and teacher’s own values and culture, and aspirations for gender equality

·         Parents and Community Members should play an active part in the management of the education resources to ensure they are used for the benefit of both girls and boys.

Source: Gender Equality in Schools: Implications for the Curriculum, Teaching and Classroom

Interaction

by Dr. Akpakwu, Ocheme Simon* Bua, Felix Terhile

Journal of Education and Practice

ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)

Vol.5, No.32, 2014