_______________________________
A
WHITE PAPER
DOCUMENT
TO DEBATE AND FINALIZE THE
NATIONAL
EDUCATION POLICY
December
2006
PREPARED
BY
JAVED
HASAN ALY
NATIONAL
EDUCATION POLICY REVIEW TEAM
This
White Paper is intended to stimulate discussion of major policy issues
concerning Education Sector in
7.
Equity
7.1
Definition, Scope and Context
The
concept of equity goes beyond equality of opportunity, where everyone is treated
the same, to
fostering
a bias-free environment where individuals benefit equally. It recognizes that
some people
require
additional and specialized support in order to achieve equal benefits. Equity in
education,
therefore,
would take into consideration not only equal access to education of a particular
standard,
but
the contents of curriculum, instructional and evaluation materials and
practices, different ways of
learning
and views of knowledge, and everyone having the opportunity to
achieve.
According
to the Convention Against Discrimination in Education adapted by UNESCO in 1960,
any
distinction,
exclusion, limitation or preference which, being based on race, colour, sex,
language,
religion,
political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic condition or
birth, as the
purpose
or effect of nullifying or impairing equality of treatment in education is
tantamount to
discrimination.
This refers to all types and levels of education and includes access to
education, the
standard
and quality of education, and the conditions under which it is
given.
The
Convention against Discrimination in Education has not been ratified by
We
need to look at both equality and equity in public and private education,
focusing on institutions
and
students. It is our purpose to address issues of gender, economic and geographic
disparities,
parallel
systems of education and medium of instruction, especially teaching of the
English language.
7.2
Gender and Education: The
educational status of women in
Bachelor’s
degree and 1.4% achieved a Master’s degree. 60% of the female adult population
is illiterate. Of the 3.3 million out of school children, 2.503 million are
girls. 73.6% of primary age girls attend school, compared with 92.1% of boys.
Moreover, a sizeable majority of rural girls drop out of primary
schools.
Women
in
Although
education has been seen to add value to a female worker, increase her
productivity and make her less vulnerable to violence or harassment, it is often
the economic productivity and security that are given as reasons that are used
to hold girls back from schooling. Poor families allocate scarce resources to
their sons’ education, expecting higher economic returns. Cultural limitations
discourage parents from sending their daughters to mixed gender schools.
However, the problem is not just of demand. There have been situations where
girls are enrolled in boys’ schools even upto matric level, indicating that
supply of quality girls schooling is falling short. Similarly poor physical
environment or lack of basic facilities in schools also discourages parents from
sending their girls to schools. To remove these supply side blockages,
unwavering support and coordination between all stakeholders (politicians,
bureaucrats, government departments, planners, implementers and community
organizations) is required. Right from 1947 till 1998 the emphasis on girls
education finds due articulations in the policy documents but the physical
targets were not matched with financial and social investment in the cause of
female education and hence the appalling state in which the underprivileged
women of
7.3
Policy Recommendations:
1.
Compulsory and free primary education of girls by 2010; free secondary education
with progressive targets setting by 2020.
2.
Hiring of teachers and teachers training should be oriented towards reducing
gender gaps.
3.
Additional resources for provinces with wider gender gaps.
4.
Continuous linkages between federal, provincial Education Departments and
research organizations for gender disaggregated data and analysis so it can
inform policy inputs.
5.
Establish realistic and attainable specific goals.
6.
Set up more powerful gender groups in the Ministry of Education.
7. Have committed fund allocations and human resources to implement and monitor progress towards goals and introduce a monitoring checklist. Greater emphasis should be placed on vocational training and technical education for women.
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