Gender differentials and sustainable learning environments
The centrality of quality education provisioning for all towards a better and socially just life is acknowledged globally. To date, however, there are still skewed gender differentials unfavourable to girls, thus impeding gender equality. In this paper I report on the reasons for leaving school earl...
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Education Association of South Africa
2011-01-01
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doaj-b3207ae08fcd41cbb22cbc693af6a9992020-11-24T23:29:43ZengEducation Association of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Education0256-01002076-34332011-01-01313312321Gender differentials and sustainable learning environmentsSechaba MG MahlomaholoThe centrality of quality education provisioning for all towards a better and socially just life is acknowledged globally. To date, however, there are still skewed gender differentials unfavourable to girls, thus impeding gender equality. In this paper I report on the reasons for leaving school early cited by out-of-school girls in North-West Province, South Africa. These reasons are juxtaposed against those cited by out-of-school boys to show how powerful gender as 'positioning in discourses' appears to be. Structured focus group interviews using the adapted version of 'Masitsa's inventory' were conducted. Qualitative data were coded and analysed based on frequency tables. The findings reveal that more girls than boys say they leave school early owing to: repeated failure; long distance to and from school; pregnancy; poverty; ill-health; attraction of odd jobs; looking after siblings; lack of motivation; early marriage, and criminal activity. The conclusion, therefore, is that if schools in the context of the community can become sustainable learning environments privileging girls' concerns, they can assist in resolving these problems of skewed gender differentials. This could lead towards achievement of a socially just life for all.http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002011000300004early school leaversgender differentialssocial justicesustainable learning environments |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Sechaba MG Mahlomaholo |
spellingShingle |
Sechaba MG Mahlomaholo Gender differentials and sustainable learning environments South African Journal of Education early school leavers gender differentials social justice sustainable learning environments |
author_facet |
Sechaba MG Mahlomaholo |
author_sort |
Sechaba MG Mahlomaholo |
title |
Gender differentials and sustainable learning environments |
title_short |
Gender differentials and sustainable learning environments |
title_full |
Gender differentials and sustainable learning environments |
title_fullStr |
Gender differentials and sustainable learning environments |
title_full_unstemmed |
Gender differentials and sustainable learning environments |
title_sort |
gender differentials and sustainable learning environments |
publisher |
Education Association of South Africa |
series |
South African Journal of Education |
issn |
0256-0100 2076-3433 |
publishDate |
2011-01-01 |
description |
The centrality of quality education provisioning for all towards a better and socially just life is acknowledged globally. To date, however, there are still skewed gender differentials unfavourable to girls, thus impeding gender equality. In this paper I report on the reasons for leaving school early cited by out-of-school girls in North-West Province, South Africa. These reasons are juxtaposed against those cited by out-of-school boys to show how powerful gender as 'positioning in discourses' appears to be. Structured focus group interviews using the adapted version of 'Masitsa's inventory' were conducted. Qualitative data were coded and analysed based on frequency tables. The findings reveal that more girls than boys say they leave school early owing to: repeated failure; long distance to and from school; pregnancy; poverty; ill-health; attraction of odd jobs; looking after siblings; lack of motivation; early marriage, and criminal activity. The conclusion, therefore, is that if schools in the context of the community can become sustainable learning environments privileging girls' concerns, they can assist in resolving these problems of skewed gender differentials. This could lead towards achievement of a socially just life for all. |
topic |
early school leavers gender differentials social justice sustainable learning environments |
url |
http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002011000300004 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT sechabamgmahlomaholo genderdifferentialsandsustainablelearningenvironments |
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