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Teacher education first – reform for gender equity in Malawian schools

When female underachievement is found at every level of the education system, where should policymakers focus their efforts to break its cycle? Should greater attention be given to the creation of female role models and a supportive environment for girls to promote gender equity in schools?

Research by the Centre for International Education, at the University of Sussex, examines the role of initial teacher education in relation to gender equity in Malawi’s education system as a whole. It finds that greater participation by women as teachers and teacher educators could improve the gender equity of educational achievement throughout the system. To achieve this, specific changes are needed in current policy.

Female educational participation and achievement in Malawi are low; raising them is a government policy objective. As the country is in the process of reforming its teacher education system, gender analysis of teacher education policy is essential. Teacher education policies impact differently on women and men, shaping their opportunities and decisions.

Research findings include:

Female under-achievement is cyclical. Women’s access to teacher education is limited. Girls in higher standards therefore lack role models and support, which contributes to higher drop out rates and lower standards of achievement. This, in turn, restricts their access to teacher education.
Women are under-represented in teaching as a whole, are employed mainly in the lower primary standards, and have limited access to promotion networks.
Under-qualified women teachers are the outcome of past gender inequities in education. Raising entry requirements for teacher education or college tutoring in order to raise quality will therefore discriminate against women.
Women’s multiple social roles affect their participation in teacher education, whether by distance or residential courses.

To address these concerns, changes are recommended in the teacher education system. Because of the cycle of past under-achievement, positive action is needed to increase the contribution of women teachers and trainers.

Policy recommendations include:

Teachers and teaching college tutors should have more voice and influence in planning teacher education.
More boarding places should be allocated for women trainees, and the length of residential training increased to allow for intensive English language training.
Entry qualifications for initial teacher education should not be raised in the short or medium term.
Under-qualified teachers, most of whom are women, should be given more support to upgrade their qualifications while in service.
Existing college tutors should be enabled to upgrade their diplomas to graduate level in-service, and selection criteria for new tutors should include primary teaching experience.
Ways of supporting girls and women teachers in upper primary classes should be included in professional development courses for heads and qualified teachers.

Source(s):
‘Gender Gaps in Schools and Colleges: Can Teacher Education Policy Improve Gender Equity?’ by Alison Croft, Multi-site Teacher Education Research Project (MUSTER) Discussion Paper 14, Centre for International Education, University of Sussex Institute of Education, August 2000 Full document.

Funded by: UK Department for International Development (DFID), Education Department, 1998-2000

id21 Research Highlight: 15 March 2001

Further Information:
Alison Croft
Centre for International Education
University of Sussex Institute of Education
Brighton BN1 9RG
UK

Tel: +44 (0)1273 677022
Fax: +44 (0)1273 678568
Contact the contributor: a.m.croft@sussex.ac.uk

Centre for International Education, UK

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