Gender Equity in Junior and Senior Secondary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

Description

This thematic study consists of case studies of Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda, as well as, a review of studies undertaken over the past ten years on education in Africa with particular attention to girls' and secondary education. Gender equity at the primary level has been the focus of considerable attention within the Education for All Framework of Action, but much less so at the secondary level. Evidence of gender inequity and inequality in terms of access, retention and performance in secondary education in SSA raises many questions. While transition rates from primary to secondary are higher for girls than boys, and the repetition rates are lower, girls still significantly trail behind boys in graduation and enrollment rates. The purpose of this study is to document and analyze the extent and nature of gender disadvantage in junior and senior secondary education, to analyze the causes of this disadvantage, and to identify strategies that may be effective in reducing or eliminating it.
This study was prepared as part of the Secondary Education and Training in Africa (SEIA) initiative which aims to assist countries to develop sustainable strategies for expansion and quality improvements in secondary education and training. All SEIA products are available on its website: www.worldbank.org/afr/seia.

Sujets

• Éducation
• Secondary education
• Equity
• Gender
• África
• Poverty reduction
• Development

Informations

• Publié par: world-bank-publications
• Publié le: 03 juillet 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 26
• EAN13: 9780821375051
• Langue: English

Extrait

WORLD BANK WORKING PAPER NO. 1

AFRICA HUMAN DEVELOPMENT S

Gender Equity in Junior and

Senior Secondary Education in

Sub-Saharan Africa

THE WORLD BANK

E

R

I

4

E

0

S

WORLD BANK WORKING PAPER NO. 140

Gender Equity in Junior and
Senior Secondary Education
in Sub-Saharan Africa

Esi Sutherland-Addy

Africa Region Human Development Department

T
W
H
a
E
s

h
W
in
O
g
R
t
L
on
D
,


B
D
A
.C
N
.
K

Copyright©2008
TheInternationalBankforReconstructionandDevelopment/TheWorldBank
1818HStreet,N.W.
Washington,D.C.20433,U.S.A.
Allrightsreserved
ManufacturedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
FirstPrinting:March2008

printedonrecycledpaper

1234511100908

WorldBankWorkingPapersarepublishedtocommunicatetheresultsoftheBank’sworktothe
developmentcommunitywiththeleastpossibledelay.Themanuscriptofthispapertherefore
hasnotbeenpreparedinaccordancewiththeproceduresappropriatetoformally-editedtexts.
Somesourcescitedinthispapermaybeinformaldocumentsthatarenotreadilyavailable.
Thefindings,interpretations,andconclusionsexpressedhereinarethoseoftheauthor(s)
anddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoftheInternationalBankforReconstructionand
Development/TheWorldBankanditsaffiliatedorganizations,orthoseoftheExecutiveDirectors
ofTheWorldBankorthegovernmentstheyrepresent.
TheWorldBankdoesnotguaranteetheaccuracyofthedataincludedinthiswork.The
boundaries,colors,denominations,andotherinformationshownonanymapinthisworkdo
notimplyanyjudgmentonthepartofTheWorldBankofthelegalstatusofanyterritoryor
theendorsementoracceptanceofsuchboundaries.
Thematerialinthispublicationiscopyrighted.Copyingand/ortransmittingportionsorall
ofthisworkwithoutpermissionmaybeaviolationofapplicablelaw.TheInternationalBank
forReconstructionandDevelopment/TheWorldBankencouragesdisseminationofitswork
andwillnormallygrantpermissionpromptlytoreproduceportionsofthework.
Forpermissiontophotocopyorreprintanypartofthiswork,pleasesendarequestwith
completeinformationtotheCopyrightClearanceCenter,Inc.,222RosewoodDrive,Danvers,
MA01923,USA,Tel:[phone],Fax:[phone],www.copyright.com.
Allotherqueriesonrightsandlicenses,includingsubsidiaryrights,shouldbeaddressedto
theOfficeofthePublisher,TheWorldBank,1818HStreetNW,Washington,DC20433,USA,
Fax:[phone],email:[e-mail].

ISBN-13:978-0-8213-7505-1
eISBN:978-0-8213-7506-8
ISSN:1726-5878DOI:10.1596/978-0-8213-7505-1

LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationDatahasbeenrequested.

Contents

Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
vii

Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ix

Abbreviations and Acronyms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xi

Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xiii

Résumé Analytique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
xix

Introduction
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Objectives ofthe Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Scope and Content. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Constraints ofthe Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
The Global and Regional Context. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
The Essence ofAdolescence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4

1.Participation in Secondary Education in Sub-Saharan Africa:
The Global Picture
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
EFA and Secondary Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
Definition ofTerms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
Gender Equity and Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8
Secondary Education in SSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
Primary Completion and the Transition to Lower Secondary Education. . . . . . . .
10
Gender Disparity in Secondary Education:A Widening Gap. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11

2.Factors Affecting the Participation ofGirls in Secondary Education
. . . . . . . . . .
21
Economic Policies,Growth,and Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21
Equity,Financial Measures,and Good Governance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
23
Making Girls’Schooling Affordable:The Impact ofFees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25
The Bottleneck Effect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
26
The School Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27
Sociocultural Barriers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
31
Violence against Girls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
35
The Unreached. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36
Summary ofFactors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
36
iii

iv
Contents

3.Promotion ofFemale Participation in Secondary Education
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
37
Two Policy Challenges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
37
State Policy and the Promotion ofFemale Participation in
Secondary Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40

4.Institutions Addressing the Issue ofSecondary Education
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
47
CAMFED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
47
The Role ofCivil Society:The FAWE Approach. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
49
FAWE Centres ofExcellence:Making the Case for the Holistic Approach. . . . . . . .
50
Challenges ofthe COE Concept. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
54

5.Concluding Observations
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
57
Quality Factor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
57
Importance ofIntersectoral Approaches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
57
Involvement ofStudents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
58
Expanding Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
58
Taking Best Practices to Scale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
59

References
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
61

L
ISTOF
T
ABLES
1.GER at Junior Secondary School Level in Senegal,2000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11
2.Trends in Basic or Proxy Indicators to Measure EFA Goals 4 and 5. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12
3.Share ofChildren 15–19 Who Have Completed Primary School,
by Gender (percent). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18
4.General Performance in Mathematics in Tanzania,2000. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
5.Subject Enrollment for the Malawi Secondary School Leaving
Examination,by Gender. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
28
6.Reasons for the Low Participation ofGirls in Science,Maths,and Technological
Subjects in Ghana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
29
7.National Open Apprenticeship Scheme,Edo State,Nigeria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
30
8.Manazini Industrial Training Center Enrollment,1990/91,Swaziland. . . . . . . . . . .
30
9.Final Baccalauréate (Senior High School) Results in TVE in
Burkina Faso (1992). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .