Primary Education

There are multiple causes for gender disparity in Primary Education ranging from poverty to cultural and traditional values, to distance from schools, to flexibility of the labour market. In most Asian countries the gender gap in Primary Education is affecting girls, although in some countries, like Mongolia or the Philippines, this situation has shifted with more girls enrolled in school than boys.

Girls’ participation in school is affected by many costs:
- direct fees for schooling
- indirect fees: when families have to supplement teachers’ salaries, for instance
- indirect/hidden costs: transportation, clothes and uniforms
- opportunity costs: when girls’ schooling is a lost contribution to family income or a lost chore (e.g. taking care of siblings, fetching water, cooking)

The family setting is also a key player in the decision to enroll or maintain girls in schools. In addition to poor economical backgrounds, ethnic minority affiliation, area of living (rural or remote areas), and parents’ level of education are important elements affecting girls’ participation in primary schools.

Three dimensions have to be taken into account when talking about girls’ participation: access, retention and performance. Because of high dropout rates, access to school should not be considered without focusing on retention as well. Keeping girls in school and making sure they will benefit from learning need communities and governments that are willing to develop gender responsive school environments, both in terms of physical access and quality of delivery.

What to do?
To achieve the threshold goals of access, retention and achievement, several actions may be taken at the local, regional and national levels:
- reduce the cost of schooling
- increase the number of schools not far from the girls’ homes
- increase community mobilization and community involvement in school and education issues
- allow flexible schedules and adaptation of the school calendar to local context
- make the school environment more girls’ friendly (latrines, safety, management)
- eliminate gender bias in curriculum and textbooks
- train both males and females teachers to be gender responsive
- increase the number of female teachers who can act as role models
- focus on quality education, advocate for child-centred approaches, taking into account differences in learning between girls and boys
- ensure that the curriculum is relevant, integrating life skills and HIV/AIDS education
- advocate for gender-responsive policies at local, regional and national levels.