Description
The debates on women and teaching have been wide ranging and, in some cases, contentious. They have included reviews of why the profession can become gender imbalanced in favour of women, the impacts of this on learning processes and student education, and the implications on women’s overall empowerment within society and the economy. Most of the research to date has concentrated on developed countries, such as the UK, Australia and Canada, where women have been a significant majority in the teaching workforce for decades. This study looks at how the teacher feminisation debate applies in developing countries. Drawing on the experiences of Dominica, Lesotho, Samoa, Sri Lanka and India, it provides a strong analytical understanding of the role of female teachers in the expansion of education systems, and the surrounding gender equality issues. Co-published with UNESCO.
Review
‘an important contribution to scholarship on women and the teaching profession, and indeed to the wider field of gender and education.’ * Gender & Development, Volume 20, Issue 2, 2012, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13552074.2012.687230 *
Table of Contents
Foreword Tables and figures Acronyms and abbreviations PART ONE: MULTI-COUNTRY ANALYSIS 1. Introduction and Background Definitions and overview Women, teaching and the feminisation debate within the context of the education Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EFA) Women, teaching and the feminisation debate within the context of broader gender equality Scope, methodology and how the report is structured 2. Reviewing the Literature ‘Feminisation’: layered understandings and focuses of research Teaching and the employment of women: historical patterns and trends Perspectives of teaching as a gendered profession Perspectives on the consequences of feminisation Feminisation of teaching through a broader gender equality lens 3. Statistical Trends in Selected Countries Background to the countries Access to education Varying trends in teacher feminisation – national and sub-national patterns in female representation Summary and conclusions 4. Debating the Trends and Issues Exploring the key issues Conclusions, recommendations and further research PART TWO: COUNTRY REPORTS 5. Dominica The Commonwealth of Dominica – background Education in Dominica Male and female teachers in Dominica Educational outcomes Dominica, women in teaching, and gender equality Qualitative and quantitative research at the school level Discussion and implications Recommendations 6. Lesotho Introduction and background Situational analysis on the feminisation of the teaching profession The field research Findings, conclusions and discussions Recommendations 7. India Overview – women in the teaching profession in India The policy framework which impacts female teacher recruitment Case study of Kerala – teaching profession feminised Case study of Rajasthan – low levels of female teachers Female teachers and their impacts on school quality and on gender and social equity 8. Samoa Introduction Education in Samoa Feminisation of teaching in Samoa: a statistical overview Possible factors responsible for transforming teaching into ‘women’s work’ Implications and assumptions Conclusions and recommendations 9. Sri Lanka Background: the status of women in Sri Lanka The education system Feminisation of the teaching profession in Sri Lanka: analysis of trends and patterns Factors for the transformation of teaching into ‘women’s work’ Discussion and conclusions: the feminisation of teaching and its relevance to gender dynamics in Sri Lankan society Bibliography
