Regional: Education remains bright spark in the SADC, SADC Gender Protocol Barometer

Regional: Education remains bright spark in the SADC, SADC Gender Protocol Barometer


Date: November 26, 2012
  • SHARE:

The 2012 SADC Barometer shows that education is generally a success story for gender equality in the region. However, the difference between the empirical score and citizen perception score underlines many qualitative challenges such as gender biases in curriculum and GBV in schools. The regional average Southern Africa Gender and Development Index (SGDI) score for education is 94% compared to the average Citizen Score Card (CSC) of 68%.

The SGDI is up from 93% and CSC from 55% in 2011. Mauritius achieved the highest CSC score at 85%. DRC achieved the lowest CSC score at 45%. With the exception of Lesotho and Seychelles, women in Southern Africa have lower literacy levels than men. Lesotho is the only country in the region having more girls than boys in schools in primary school.
Seven countries in the region: Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Swaziland have higher proportions of women than men at tertiary level. In all but two instances (primary education in Malawi and secondary education in Mozambique, where girls and boys are virtually at par) girls are outperforming boys at schools in the SADC region.

Gender stereotypes still abound in decision-making in SADC, in curriculum, teaching materials and in the choice of subjects. Gender violence in schools remains a major challenge. While gender equality objectives increasingly feature in budget statements, these references are sporadic and selective. There is little correlation between these and the assessment of gaps that need to be addressed, for example the gaps at tertiary level.
Click here to read the education chapter of the Barometer

 


Comment on Regional: Education remains bright spark in the SADC, SADC Gender Protocol Barometer

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *