Education and Gender Gap

Md. Saeed Anwar

Sociology Discipline
Khulna University

Presentation Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Meaning of Gender Gap

Education and Gender Gap in the World Perspective
Education and Gender Gap in Bangladesh Perspective
Causes of Gender Gap in Education
Interventions to Eliminate Gender Gap in Education
Conclusion

Meaning of Gender Gap

Gender Gap:
A gender gap is a disproportionate difference or disparity
between the sexes (Wikipedia, 2013).
The difference that exists between males and females in
access to some social good or benefit based solely on their
difference in gender (Wikipedia, 2013).
So, gender gap in education refers to the increased
likelihood of better educational opportunity and
achievement for males than females in most societies
(Wikipedia, 2013).

Education and Gender Gap in the World

Perspective
Gender Gap in Primary Education
Gender gaps in access to education have
narrowed, but disparities remain among regions in
all levels of education, particularly for the most
excluded and marginalized (UN, 2013).
Gender parity in primary schooling worldwide
has been achieved (UN, 2013).
However, girls continue to face barriers to
schooling, particularly in Northern Africa, subSaharan Africa and Western Asia (UN, 2013).

 Gender Disparities at Primary Levels of Education: Girls

primary school enrolment ratios in relation to boys(girls per
100 boys) (Source: UN, 2005)
Different Parts in the World

1990/91 (%)

2001/02 (%)

Southern Asia

76

85

Sub-Saharan Africa

83

86

Western Asia

83

87

Northern Africa

82

93

Oceania

90

93

South-Eastern Asia

92

97

Latin America and the Caribbean

98

93

CIS, Asia

99

93

CIS, Europe

100

99

Eastern Asia

93

100

Developing Regions

87

92

 Gender Gap in Primary Completion Rates:

Globally, the gender gap has been gradually shrinking since 1999. In
Latin America and East Asia, girls have reached parity with boys,
however more boys complete primary school than girls in all other
regions (UNESCO, 2011).

Education and Gender Gap in the World

Perspective Cont

Gender Gap in Secondary Education

Access to secondary-level education remains
highly unequal (UN, 2013).
Substantial gains have been made towards
closing the gender gap in secondary education
in Western and Southern Asia, though girls
continue to be at a disadvantage in those regions
(UN, 2013).
The situation is most extreme in sub-Saharan
Africa, where the gender gap in enrolment has
actually widened from 66 girls per 100 boys in

 Gender Disparities at Secondary Levels of Education:

Gender disparities tend to increase at higher levels of education. At the
secondary level of education, the gender gap remains a serious concern in subSaharan Africa, Southern Asia and Western Asia (UN, 2005).
Different Parts in the World

2001/02 (%)

Southern Asia

79

Western Asia

79

Sub-Saharan Africa

79

Oceania

91

Eastern Asia

93

Northern Africa

96

CIS, Asia

97

South-Eastern Asia

93

CIS, Europe

101

Latin America and the Caribbean

107

Developing Regions

89

Education and Gender Gap in the World

Perspective Cont
Gender Gap in Higher Education
Access to higher education (university-level)
remains highly unequal (UN, 2013).
Disparities are greatest at the university level. In
Southern Asia, only 77 girls per 100 boys are
enrolled in tertiary education (UN, 2013).
However, in 2005, USA Today reported that the
"college gender gap" was widening; stating that
57 percent of U.S. college students are female
(Marklein, 2005).
In the United States, the 2005 averages saw male
to female university participants ratio at 43 to 57

Education and Gender Gap in the World

Perspective Cont
Gender Gap in Higher Education
Also, in 2005-2006, women earned more Associate's,
Bachelor's, and Master's degrees than men, but men
earned more Doctorates (Jacobs, 1996).
By 2010 nearly 60 percent of bachelors degrees in the
US went to women (Marklein, 2005).
This is repeated in other countries; for example,
women make up 58 percent of admissions in the UK
(Marklein, 2005) and 60 percent in Iran (Jacobs,
1996). In Canada the 15 percent gender gap in
university participation favored women (Christofides,
et al., 2006)

Education and Gender Gap in the World

Perspective Cont

Gender Gap in Literacy Rate

Worldwide, men are more likely to be literate,
with 100 men considered literate for every 88
women (Chapman, 2008).
In some countries the difference is even
greater; for example, in Bangladesh only 62
women are literate for every 100 men
(Chapman, 2008).
In the United States, girls are significantly
ahead of boys in writing ability at all levels of
primary
and
secondary
education
(Christofides, et al., 2004).

 Gender Gap in Youth Literacy Rates

Globally, there is still a large gender gap in youth literacy rates,
although the gap has been shrinking over time. Still, the data seem to
show that fewer girls are emerging from education systems with basic
literacy skills than boys (UNESC0, 2011).

Education and Gender Gap in Bangladesh

Perspective
Bangladesh has succeeded in boosting education for girls
(Sharif, 2012).
Among the eight South Asian countries (Afghanistan, Bhutan,
India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka), Bangladesh
is the fourth to achieve gender parity in primary education and
currently has slightly more girls than boys in school (Sharif,
2012).
Authorities are now taking steps to address that imbalance
(Sharif, 2012).
Educational levels

Male (%)

Female (%)

Enrolment in primary
education

83

90

Enrolment in secondary
education

40

43

Enrolment in tertiary
education

10

(Source: GGGP, 2011)

Education and Gender Gap in Bangladesh

Perspective Cont
Gender Gap in Primary Education
Between 1990 and 1995, primary school enrollment in
Bangladesh stood at 45 percent for girls and 55 percent for
boys (Sharif, 2012).
Today, of the 10.6 million primary students enrolled, girls
account for 50.07 percent while boys make up the remaining
49.93 percent (Sharif, 2012).
Gender Gap in Secondary Education
According to Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information
and Statistics (BANBEIS) figures, at secondary level (grades 6
to 10), the boy-girl ratio in 1990 was 66:34 (Sharif, 2012).
In just 15 years, gender parity was achieved in 2005. The
current boy-girl ratio in secondary school is 46:54 (Sharif,
2012).

Education and Gender Gap in Bangladesh

Perspective Cont

Gender Gap in Higher Education

Gender disparity is significantly high in higher
education (university level) (NEP, 2001).
In 2001, among the total students in the public
universities, only 24.3 percent were female
students whereas the male enrollment
comprises almost three times higher (75.7
percent) than that of the female (NEP, 2001).
It is also observed that over the years, both
male and female enrollment in the university
level is increasing (Ferdaush and Rahman,

Education and Gender Gap in Bangladesh

Perspective Cont
Gender Gap in Literacy Rate
The literacy of male children was 49.5 percent
in 2000 at the national level, which has
increased to 61.12 percent in 2010 (NEP,
2010).
Whereas, the literacy rate of female children at
the national level was 40.1 percent in 2000,
which has increased to 54.8 percent in 2010
(NEP, 2010).

Causes of Gender Gap in Education

1. Poverty
2. Gender Discrimination
3. Economic insecurity
4. Cultural norms
5. Early marriage
6. Rural-urban disparities
7. Unequal distribution of wealth
8. Armed conflict
9. Lack of sufficient school in rural areas
10.Violence
(Sourse: Jackline, 2005)

Interventions to Eliminate Gender Gap in

Education
1. Free primary education
2. Parental incentives
a) Primary school stipends
b) Improved nutrition
c) School feeding programs (at pre-school and primary schools)
3. Safety and dignity at school
4. Community school
5. Community awareness
6. Accelerated programs
7. Gender advocates
8. Early childhood education and care
9. Tackling violence against women (including rape)
10. Raising the legal status of marriage
(Source: Mishra)

Conclusion
Remarkable progress has been made toward achieving
gender equality in education (World Bank, 2012).
Over the past three decades the ratio of girls to boys
enrolled in school has risen at all levels (WB, 2012).
The most significant increase in girls enrollment in subSaharan Africa and South Asia has been at the primary
education level (World Bank, 2012).
In countries in East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean,
the increase in girls enrollment has been at the secondary
education level (World Bank, 2012).
While in countries in Europe and Central Asia, girls
enrollment has risen most at the tertiary education level
(World Bank, 2012).

Reference
1.
2.

3.

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Chapman, Amanda, 2008. Gender Bias in Education.

Christofides, L. Hoy, M. Yang, L. 2006. Participation in Canadian
Universities: The gender imbalance (19772005). Elsevier:
Economics
of Education Review, 29-2010, 400-410.
Droulet, D. 2007. Minding the Gender Gap. Retrieved from
University
Affairs website:
http://www.universityaffairs.ca/minding-the-gendergap.aspx
Ferdaush and Rahman, 2011. Gender Inequality in Bangladesh . Unnayan
Onneshan
Global Gender Gap Report , 2011. Country Profiles 31
Jackline, 2005. Middle East & North Africa INCHING TOWARDS
GENDER EQUALITY
Jacobs, J. A. 1996. "Gender Inequality and Higher Education". Annual
Review of Sociology 22: 15385. doi:10.1146/annurev.soc.22.1.153.
Marklein, M. 2005. College Gender Gap Widens: 57% are Women. USA
Today. Retrieved from: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2005-1019-male-college-cover_x.htm

Reference Cont
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