A larger extended historical background of literature explains the significant role education plays in the economic growth of a state. In addition, the level in which education has impacted nation’s potential to adopt measures such as technological change, women and youth empowerment, level of job creations, the international relation among others gives much space to research on. However, there is a question of whether gender inequality has impacted the level of provision of quality education. Existing body of literature shows that gender consideration is an important factor in determining the quality of education provided. The paper seeks to examine the degree of the effect of gender differences on educational institutions. Cross-country and panel regressions were used to examine the extent of the properties in question. In many occasions, women are the ones who suffer as victims with regard to the provision of educational services (Skiba, Michael, Nardo and Peterson 2011, p. 92) Using updated data, the paper aims to provide an insight of the educational conditions which has resulted from the gender gap.
Research Questions
How does gender discrimination affect the quality of education?
How does gender discrimination affect the expectations of girls about future?
What are the effects of gender discrimination on school enrollment?
Significance of the Study
The study aims at identifying a level at which gender inequality impacts education. The gaps found during the study will provide a platform for the country in developing the necessary policy framework to help the researchers and policymakers to pursue the policies that will improve the quality of education.
Limitations of the Study
As this study will depend heavily on secondary data from World Bank. The study assumes that data obtained is accurate and reliable.
Literature Review
Inequality in education can be measured by examining the inequality in school attainment (Klasen and Lamanna 2009, p. 93). The gender inequality in schools cannot be quantified but qualified by stating the extent of its effects. There are two comprehensive paths through which reduced gender discrimination in education can improve the educational outcomes of a nation (Chavous et al. 2008, p. 637). They are described as follow.
Firstly, there is important significance in improving the quality of education provided to students in school (Skiba et al. 2011, p. 90). Masculine-connected inequality in education may affect the quality of education provided by first adversely affecting the quality of education received by females in schools (Chavous et al. 2008, p. 640). Secondly, the situation may have several effects on the standards of education offered to males. The impact is mainly concerned with the quality of education offered by teachers. Reduced gender inequality would be expected to increase the standards of education in females (McWhirter 2011, p. 125). In areas with schools where the issue of inequality has persisted, girls develop a perspective that inequality in the school system represents the situation in the society (Entwisle 2018, p. 65). Due to this perception they lessen their hope in believing they can have better chances in lives and become successful even if they were educated (Antoniou, Polychroni and Vlachakis 2006, p. 683). In addition, this kind of discrimination might make the girls feel sidelined and rejected by the environment. All these negative factors could downgrade females’ morale which would down their school performance. In contrast to all the negative effects mentioned above, gender inequality might be interpreted by girls that since there a few girls enrolling in school there will always be many opportunities waiting for those who get educated. Therefore, girls find a little motivation from the fact that there is hope for better chances of succeeding in life (Krieger 2009, p. 1275).
The other path through which inequality in gender might affect educational outcomes is the attitude received by students through the aspects of the effects of environmental and other issues outside of school. Some researchers provide an example of siblings who are both involved in educational process, which increases their chances of success by helping each other learn what is taught in school (Klasen and Lamanna 2009, p. 101). Decreased inequality would be beneficial especially to girls if they could easily attain support from their parents and most importantly from peers who would back them in educational matters without discrimination. World Bank researchers provide data in 2014 report where it stated that there is a positive link between a mother’s educational status and child’s attainment in education (Blau and Kahn 2010, p. 75).
Methodology
The study will apply descriptive design when providing answers to the research objectives. Such a design will benefit the understanding of current status of the problem under study. Random sampling will be necessary to obtain data from different respondents. The participants will include the students and staff members of different learning institutions. Questionnaire will be applied as an appropriate instrument to collect data from the participants. Secondary data will be collected from existing body of the literature. The procedure for collecting primary data involves taking the questionnaire to the participants and their answering the questions related to the study. The data will be analyzed carefully using proper statistical methods and presented using graphs and charts. The results will be discussed and proper recommendation and conclusions will be made.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The instruments used when collecting data have various strengths and weaknesses. Questionnaires allow researchers to collect enough data from different participants. The method ensures that the participants provide their views concerning the issue under study. Contrary, people may fail to respond to questions due to issues regarding confidentiality on the records requested or nature of the question.
Sample
Participants
Students
30
Staffs
20
Non-staffs
10
Total
60
To test the hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between gender inequalities in education, this study will employ a linear regression model.
Y=+ where Y is the dependent variable, bo is constant and b1 is coefficient of the variable X1 and X1 is the independent variable.
Gender inequality, in this case, will be the independent variable and education is the dependent variable. The population of the study will involve sampling the enrollment ratio of male to female in the primary, secondary and tertiary levels in the country (all these indicators represent the independent variables). Cross-sectional data ranging from the year 2008 to 2016 will be sampled for analysis. The data will be obtained from World Bank database and entered into SPSS for evaluating and obtaining effective results.
Expected Results
The ratio of male to female enrollment in primary schools and the ratio of male to female enrollment in secondary schools are not significant at tertiary level as well. Test scores are expected to rise from an improvement in GDP per capita (Klasen and Lamanna 2009, p. 113). Correlation between the population's percentage to enroll in primary school and test scores make sense. Merging higher spending and the lower proportion of population seeking education would lead to improved scores. These conditions would lower the undesirable effects of externalities that affect students and progress the test results (Schober and Winter-Ebmer 2011, p. 1477).
Results from analysis of the R-square are expected to indicate that independent variables do not largely explain great variance in test scores. The meaning will be that there are other factors outside the model that will affect the level of variance in test scores.
Time Schedule
The section is divided into phases that include the following:
Phase one
Developing resolution and strategy. Starting with a general area of interest and gathering research on the topic.
Finding out the area of study. Discovering an area that is appropriate for the study where it is possible to collect enough data in an efficient way and without difficulties.
Figuring out how to conduct the study. This step involves the methods of data collection and data analysis techniques.
Overall period – one to two months.
Phase Two
Obtaining ethical and other clearances from the authorities. (Plan on 3-6 weeks).
Phase Three
Conducting the actual study (Plan on 6-12 months).
Phase Four
Assembling sense of the data. (Plan on 2-6 months)
Phase Five
Writing of research report. (Plan on 3-5 weeks)
Ethical Considerations
Information provided by people should be safeguarded and kept private considering that the source must be kept anonymous. It is important to keep the source unidentified to avoid victimization by those who may be affected by the findings of the research. Religious beliefs of the people should not be undermined or regarded in any way by the research process.
Impact of the Study
The study will provide the results concerning issues related to gender differences in education systems. It will provide proper recommendation that will help in improving the education system with regard to people of different genders.
References
Antoniou, A.S., Polychroni, F. and Vlachakis, A.N., 2006. Gender and age differences in occupational stress and professional burnout between primary and high-school teachers in Greece. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 21(7), pp.682-690.
Blau, F.D. and Kahn, L.M., 2010. Gender differences in pay. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14(4), pp.75-99.
Chavous, T.M., Rivas-Drake, D., Smalls, C., Griffin, T. and Cogburn, C., 2008. Gender matters, too: The influences of school racial discrimination and racial identity on academic engagement outcomes among African American adolescents. Developmental Psychology, 44(3), pp.637-645.
Entwisle, D.R., 2018. Children, schools, and inequality. Abingdon: Routledge.
Klasen, S. and Lamanna, F., 2009. The impact of gender inequality in education and employment on economic growth: new evidence for a panel of countries. Feminist Economics, 15(3), pp.91-132.
Krieger, N., 2009. Racial and gender discrimination: Risk factors for high blood pressure? Social Science & Medicine, 30(12), pp.1273-1281.
McWhirter, E.H., 2011. Perceived barriers to education and career: Ethnic and gender differences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 50(1), pp.124-140.
Noh, S. and Kaspar, V., 2011. Perceived discrimination and depression: Moderating effects of coping, acculturation, and ethnic support. American journal of public health, 93(2), pp.232-238.
Schober, T. and Winter-Ebmer, R., 2011. Gender wage inequality and economic growth: is there really a puzzle? —A comment. World Development, 39(8), pp.1476-1484.
Skiba, R.J., Michael, R.S., Nardo, A.C. and Peterson, R.L., 2011. The color of discipline: Sources of racial and gender disproportionality in school punishment. The urban review, 34(4), pp.317-342.
