In the most of the planet, Girls outperform boys in reading ability. Compared to boys, girls have a higher level of reading competence compared to the level expected in each grade.
This phenomenon is due to several reasons. On the one hand, it has been proven that girls have greater natural aptitudes, but they also show greater interest in reading than boys. Girls tend to read more and are usually encouraged to read more than men.
Despite these data, the studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa reveal that the trend has reversed in some countries in the region.
The anomaly registered in this part of the African continent suggests that girls in these countries encounter obstacles that hinder their schooling and the development of their reading skills. As a social demographer interested in learning outcomes in the region, I wanted to look deeper into the data and try to understand what those barriers might be. He Sustainable Development Goal 4relating to equity and inclusion in education, highlights the importance of eliminating the gender gap in learning.
In a recent study, I examined data from 15 African countries in the southern and eastern regions of the continent and found that statistics put boys ahead of girls in 6 of them
In a recent studyI examined data from 15 African countries in the southern and eastern regions of the continent—including Botswana, Malawi, Kenya, and Uganda—and found that statistics put boys ahead of girls in 6 of those countries. [Kenia, Malui, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda y Zambia].
Next, I analyzed the possible factors correlated with these disparities and identified the following: inadequate hygiene conditions at school, domestic and caregiving responsibilities for girls, and bullying at school. These factors can lead to absenteeism or hinder girls’ ability to learn even while they are in school.
With such data, we can hypothesize that improving sanitation in the school environment, reducing household chores for young girls, and combating bullying could improve girls’ reading proficiency compared to that of boys.
The data
The study examined data from 61,396 fifth-grade students (average age 13) from 15 African countries. The data came from the third evaluation conducted by the Southern and Eastern Africa Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality, which was carried out between 2009 and 2011.
The evaluation collected various information about the school environment and resources, the characteristics of the teachers, and the family background of the students. This information was obtained from the management of the centers, the teachers of each subject and the students.
It is proven that girls in sub-Saharan Africa face a series of challenges that affect their schooling and their progress at school. Among others, cultural practices that undervalue female education—such as early marriage-, a less academic support by the family and the teachers than that which is offered to the children and, finally, the sexual harassment. The concern for safety and hygiene It also plays a role, as parents are more reluctant to send girls to school if they are worried about them traveling long distances or being bullied at school. He burden of housework also plays an important role.
My analysis shows that some of these factors may be holding back girls’ reading performance in the six countries where boys perform significantly better.
Lessons to learn
There is no doubt that the problems identified are not exclusive to the six countries mentioned. My results further indicate that, even in countries where the landscape is more equal and girls do better than boys, such factors predictably reduce the magnitude of girls’ advantage over boys.
Girls significantly outperformed boys in 8 of the 15 countries (the difference in the remaining country was not statistically significant). On average, the quality of educational centers of these countries was relatively higher than that of those in which boys were statistically ahead of girls. The quality of schools is measured by the existence and level of resources such as libraries, staff rooms, drinking water, electricity and computers.
The better the school system overall, the better girls do, even when other factors come into play that put them at a disadvantage.
Therefore, the better the school system overall, the better girls do, even when other factors come into play that put them at a disadvantage.
Likewise, in countries with a female advantage, the percentage of 5th grade students who had assisted preschool used to be older. This corroborates the numerous existing evidence Over the long-term benefits of early childhood educationfor both girls and boys.
Girls also obtained better results where there was a greater female presence (peers, directors and teachers) in the school environment. The data suggest that a greater presence of female classmates and role models can improve the learning results of female students.
It is essential to ensure that schools provide a safe and nurturing environment for girls’ education. And it is equally important that families promote girls’ consistent attendance at school and minimize their responsibilities for household chores that may interfere with their studies.
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