Financial and Curricular Factors for Gender Equality and Human Resource Development in Secondary Schools

Abstract

A growing concern about the Nigerian educational system is that of gender equity. Research has established the fact that girls/women are marginalized educationally and economically. Poverty and gender discrimination against the girl-child have been found to be the root causes of girl’s/women’s marginalization. This paper therefore sought to ascertain the strategies that can be taken to engender gender equality in secondary schools. The study was carried out in Awka local government area ((L.G.A) of Anambra state, Nigeria. The population of the study consisted of 1050 teachers in fifteen public secondary schools in Awka L.G.A. The sample size was 150 teachers randomly selected from the schools. The instrument for data collection was researcher constructed questionnaire made up of thirteen items, which was validated by experts in gender studies and measurement and evaluation from Ebonyi state University, Abakaliki. The instrument was subjected to reliability test using test retest method. It was administered to 20 secondary school teachers outside the area of study twice in an interval of two weeks. Using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient, reliability coefficient of .87 was obtained. The data got were analyzed using mean scores. The findings showed that (1) Offering free` education to girls in secondary schools will help to achieve gender equality by: making more girls  enroll in secondary schools; offering more girls opportunity to study science-based subjects; improve girls self-concept, realize and develop their talents. (2) Providing entrepreneurship education for the gild-child will help to close gender gap by: equipping the girls with saleable skills, making them employers of labour, making them contribute to nation building, making them role models to other girls; and making them develop the skill of creativity. Based on the findings recommendations made include: (1) that` government should provide free and compulsory education to girls in secondary schools; (2) Non-governmental organizations should partner with government to offer financial assistance to girls in secondary schools; and (3) Entrepreneurship education should be incorporated into girls education in secondary schools.

Keywords: Curriculum, Gender, Equality and Human Resource Development