Gender Disparities in Urban and Regional Planning Education in Selected Universities in Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

The paper assesses gender disparities in Urban and Regional Planning (URP) education in Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) and Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). Simple random sampling method was employed to administer 225 questionnaires in both institutions. Secondary data on student’s enrolment between 2003 and 2013 was obtained from the departments of Urban and Regional Planning of both institutions. ‘Factors of Gender Disparity Index’ (FGDI) was developed to measure factors responsible for gender disparities in planning education in the two institutions. Findings revealed that the ratio of male to female in all the academic sessions investigated varies in the selected institutions. In FUTA it was observed that the highest ratio of male: female is 4:1 while the lowest ratio is 5:2. However, in LAUTECH, the highest ‘gender disparity range’ is 7: 4 while the lowest is 3:2. The factor with the highest FGDI in LAUTECH is ‘course is preferably taken by male’ (3.19) while in FUTA, ‘male can handle pressure situations better than female’ (3.1). Other factors of significant FGDI are: ‘very low interest in the course on the part of female students’, and ‘the stress undergone during the process of the course’. The study recommends increasing awareness on the prospects and professional benefits of Urban and Regional Planning (TOPREC) education through the Town Planners’ Registration Council. Policies on tertiary education programme should deal with gender-stereotyped and bias courses.

Keywords: gender, disparity, URP,

DOI: 10.7176/DCS/9-9-04

Publication date:September 30^th 2019