Gender discussions are mostly among heated topical issues not only in Sierra Leone but the world at large. For discussions like this, it is but imperative to unearth the meaning of Gender which stands as the centrality in this topic, and which also holds bearing to the economic, social, political, and cultural characteristics and opportunities related to both Women and Men. The social definitions of what it actually means to be a woman or a man vary among cultures and is constantly changing as time passes by. Gender is a socio-cultural expression of particular characteristics and roles that are associated with certain groups of people with reference to their sex and sexuality.
The discussion on Gender and Gender related issues in Sierra Leone is not a new one and our history is replete with different perspectives on the issue. The area of gender education statistics is a little more challenging. Owing to these challenges in Sierra Leone which for some reason has reflected a minimal rate for women, and for which the Government of Sierra Leone has taken into consideration the issue of narrowing the gender gap as a key priority in its various development programming activities and several legislation and intervention focusing on women’s empowerment have been enacted. Few of these legislations are the Education Act of 2004 which provided for nine years of free basic education whilst the Child Rights Act of 2007 emphasizes the rights of every child to an education and these legislations are unarguably credited as practical means to change the gender education statistics in Sierra Leone. As an enjoined step, the Government of Sierra Leone had initiated a five-year poverty reduction road map in the former Agenda for Prosperity (AfP) focusing on the issue. This, has inter alia addressed other concerns and has also emphasized the issues of gender equality and women’s empowerment.
With that sensational eagerness to seeing that gender educational statistics changes for the better whereby many women and young women activities result to some positive changes, the government introduced free education for girls in public primary schools to improve gender education statistics at the primary level of education. Its vision is that ‘by 2035’, 90% of Sierra Leoneans should be able to read and write and many of whom must be women.
However, these practical ventures did not only stop during the last government system, but it is also been taken to a whole new level by the current New Direction regime wherein provisions are made for women to be participating in many trainings in a bid to enhance their skills. Another practical step under the New Direction has been the provision of Free Quality Education (FQSE) for women pursuing sciences, engineering and medical disciplines at universities across the Country.
The challenges in changing gender education statistics are still immense for which the government requires practical approaches in improving all efforts to close the gender gap in education. The legal age for example regarding marriage (18 years) must be enforced at all levels. If girls marry at an early age, they are going to be limited in every way. Once they start producing children, their health and other complications will be compromised, their children’s health and their social and economic development will also be narrowed thereby causing stagnation and negatively impacting on gender educational statistics in the country.
Furthermore, there are many practical steps in transforming Gender Education Statistics in Sierra Leone which will not be farfetched from the Steps within and outside the classroom; few of which were proffered by the United Nation Children’s’ Emergency Fund (UNICEF) that can be much more relevant to further upgrade the Gender Education Statistics.
Steps the classroom will circumvent around are steps that are ideal towards achieving the set goals and thus ensuring that the classroom become more child centered and gender-sensitive, and should seemingly be rooted in the life and environment of the community where in teachers are to make full use of the official language and culture that have in the past been marginalized despite their importance to the country’s growing population. This will result to a completion rate above the national average and a high enrollment rate for girls in schools will be achieved. To also achieve this, recruiting and training teachers who are passionately sensitive to gender and child rights, and equally paying them a regular living wage could as well be an immeasurable step and for which both female and male teachers should receive training in gender awareness in the class-room. Without adhering to this, some schools in the provinces, are likely to value and encourage boys’ participation in class more than they value girls’ and may earmark school tasks along strict gender lines, leaving girls to sweep the floors or clean the toilets. Complementary steps within the classroom are promoting sports in schools; by so doing girls will be provided with access to sport and can also contribute to achieving the change in gender education statistics, promoting health in schools and eradicating gender bias from textbooks and learning materials.
As the situation continues to be challenging, steps outside the classroom are also considered to as well achieve the same goal. To this therefore, gathering gender-specific education statistics, including those on learning achievement at primary, secondary and tertiary levels could be largely vital towards the focus of the topic under discussion, providing early childhood programmes where in all children are likely to benefit from pre-school care, but evidence propounds that it enhances girls’ readiness for school more than boys’. It is worth noting that, this is the first point, after the family, during which gender stereotypes can be pretty much addressed.
And also enabling young mothers to return to school will be quite prudent because in many parts of the country, girls who become pregnant while at school are forbidden to return due to some unwarranted stigma and loss of determination to proceed with their academic work. And also taking special measures to reach the most disadvantaged girls, encouraging girls’ participation and activism for education, making sure girls and boys are safe, involving the local community and lastly to supply of safe water and latrines together with creating a national ethos for girls’ education. The Government must regularly and publicly report the number of out-of-school girls, and they should be also monitor and further expand successful girls’ education projects.
In conclusion, these issues will be achieved will all hands-on deck and the necessary attention from both Government and the private sector. We will change the narratives on Gender on the abysmal gender education statistics in Sierra Leone. It only takes you and I to achieve this vibrant initiative for the betterment of our young women within our society.
By Jennifer Bangali
