The Role of Schooling in Constructing Gender Identities in Pakistani Students
Many research reports indicate that disparity between access, nature and creating opportunities for children's future differed according to their gender. The need to bridge this gap became a global agenda at the Dakar Conference, where one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was set 'to promote gender equality and empowerment of women'. In order to meet this goal, work was expected to be done in all the spheres of life, including the education sector. Education plays a potential role in transforming or reproducing the society.
Many studies have been conducted and widely reported on the role of schools in constructing gendered identities of boys and girls in western contexts. These studies report that there are multiple processes and structures of schooling that contribute to shaping students' gendered identities. In Pakistan, several anecdotal records suggest that gender disparity is wide; however, the studies are either unreported or unavailable with regard to the role of schooling or education.
To get an insight of this issue, an exploratory study was carried out in 11 schools in urban and semi-urban areas of Karachi by a team of AKU-IED faculty. The findings of the study were meant to help improve our own understanding regarding gender issues in schools and bring changes on the basis of contextually relevant gender analysis rather than quick fixes.
Through purposive sampling, schools were selected to find appropriate balance between breadth and depth of the data. The focus was targeted to one class in each section (primary or secondary) of four subject areas, and to some teachers and students to be interviewed. The study adopted mostly qualitative data collection methods and tools to gain insight into inter-related factors and processes that contribute to experiences of girls and boys constructions of gendered identities in the schools. There were individual semi- structured interviews with school heads, and selected teachers and focus group interviews with students in different settings (girls only, boys only, and mixed), observations in and outside classrooms, and analysis of the curricular materials used in the classrooms. In addition, we obtained quantitative data through survey of facilities, enrollment rates, staff profile and some school policies.
Though this research was conducted in eleven schools, for this symposium we share the preliminary analysis of the data obtained from three different school settings (girls only, boys only and co-educational). Initially, the presenters will briefly share the findings from each school setting. This will be followed by cross-case analysis. It will then be opened for discussion on the issues raised with the audience and presenters. On the basis of the discussion, recommendations for gender-fair schools and implications for teacher education institutions will be drawn.
Tentative findings drawn from these three settings indicate that students construct their gendered identities through different schooling processes such as gendered division of labour, gendered bodily and disciplinary regulations, control of space and practices, and teachers' beliefs about gender differential characteristics, which influence the ways students learn. Moreover, construction of gendered identities was influenced by the students' families and social class backgrounds.