Gender and Education: The challenge of educating girls in Africa

Education of girls is essential in the drive by nations to achieve the Millennium Development Goals .Although the education policy of most African countries do not discriminate against girls and women, there is a serious gender disparity in enrolment and transition form one level to the next, especially in rural Africa.

Many girls hardly get the right/relevant type of education that would make them overcome the social, cultural and health challenges .Hardly does the education system help them realize their full potential and prepare them on the path of being active global citizens .How then should Africa tackle these challenges to girl child education?

Like in many parts of Africa, the challenges to girl-child in Kenya are varied. While some might lead to drop out; others affect the quality of learning, leaving most girls with education that is hardly useful in a very fast paced and complex society.

I have attached powerpoint slides developed by trainees in the Innovative Women Teachers project.You are welcome to have an input in developing these materials or in any way in the Innovative women teachers project. Let us discuss these challenges and how we could in a small way help realize the potential of the girl-child through education

Attachments:

Child and Forced Marriage Presenation.ppt, 131 KB
Discrimination and Violence Against the Girl Child Presentation.ppt, 120 KB
Female Genital Mutilation.ppt, 166 KB

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Noble Kelly on February 3, 2009 at 0:26

Another file from Dan...

Attachments:

InnovativeWomenTeachersProgramKenya.doc, 33 KB

Permalink Reply by Kelly Gray on July 9, 2009 at 13:58

These PowerPoint Presentations are very powerful in their simplicity. With your permission I would like to use them in one of my classes this fall. I will be interning at a local school in Saskatoon and I believe that these presentations will be very effective in Social Studies 10-12.

Unfortunately, we are not able to retain all of our girl children in schools locally either. However, we have become more successful in recent history. I would suggest appealling to a father's sense of insecurity for the future may assist teachers in allowing girls to continue their education if the possibility of an independent income will help support him and the family unit. Good luck

Permalink Reply by Dan Andrew Otedo on July 9, 2009 at 15:35

Gray,I am humbled.Please do use them and give me a feedback . You are free to make changes and share with me how we can refine the presentations .Somebody had suggested outside this forum that i need to make a documentary on these challenges .I would also like to know much about the social and economic situation in Saskatoon, and how your schools help the girls realise their potential in education

Permalink Reply by Kelly Gray on July 9, 2009 at 18:04

Thank you for allowing me to use these PowerPoints. I will indeed let you know how the students receive the information. As far as the socio-economic status of the Saskatoon population, what little I can tell you is that we are a wide-ranging city who has experienced substantial growth in the past 2-3 years. We have people for whom money is little-to-no object and those who struggle to eat and find safe places to sleep. Unlike Africa, the Saskatchewan climate is very volatile with temperatures from -50 to + 45 within a year's time span. I have worked with students in both rural and urban communities over a number of years, but I can honestly say that it has only been recently that I have not lost either a male or female student for a wide range of reasons. This too is an area of struggle for me in my career and I would be very happy to explore it with you further.

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