GENDER DIFFERENTIALS IN THE ADMISSION, PROGRESSION AND GRADUATION OF STUDENTS IN THE HND STATISTICS PROGRAM: A CASE STUDY OF ACCRA POLYTECHNIC

Abstract

All over the world, education of the girl child has been of primary concern in the past two decades. Females are particularly encouraged to pursue educational programs which eventually lead to careers in so called male dominated fields of science and engineering. According to a UNESCO Institute for Statistics report, the international community pledged to eliminate gender disparities at all levels of education by 2015 as part of the Millennium Development Goals. The question one may ask is the extent to which this particular MDG has been achieved. Educational institutions like the Technical and Vocational training centres have a major role to play in achieving this goal. Polytechnics offer a wide variety of programs with the objective of giving its students practical oriented training to provide manpower, largely, for the middle level. Accra Polytechnic runs at least five programs each in the fields of Science and Engineering. This paper looks at the differentials in gender in the enrolment, progression and completion of students in the HND Statistics program in Accra Polytechnic, since the inception of the program about two decades ago. The use of educational statistical measures clearly shows the academic prowess of the female HND Statistics student, despite the disparity in enrolment. With a scholastic acceleration rate of 0.83 for females in their final year and a cumulative grade attainment rate of 0.97 for females in the 20-25 years age bracket, it is gratifying to note that females in the HND Statistics Program are making inroads in a perceived male dominated field.

Keywords: MDG, Statistics, Differentials, Scholastic, Attainment.