Not as Easy as 1 2 3 or A B C: Calling for Renewed Attention over Gender Bias in Education

A key principle of the 2018 USAID Education Policy, which seeks to promote equity and inclusion, addresses the very establishment of the education system. Gender impacts learning, from the moment a person accesses—or is prevented from accessing—education opportunities to the individual’s experience in school. 

How does gender influence foundational skills learning, which USAID defines as literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional learning (SEL)? For one, teachers come to the classroom with personal beliefs and attitudes towards genders. These can influence their teaching practices, how they engage with and set expectations for their students, and how students think of themselves. These dynamics can be observed as early as in the pre-primary space, when even more than the “what,” it is the “how” and the educator-learner relationship that can influence foundational learning.

There are several promising approaches USAID is using to integrate gender into education programming, including those for foundational skills learning. The following outlines three examples with highlights from the Dominican Republic, Liberia, and Nepal. 

1. Promote an educator workforce reflecting the diversity of the population and support educators to deliver pedagogy that seeks to transform inequitable gender norms. 

One way USAID is helping promote a diverse workforce reflective of the population is through the provision of scholarships. In Liberia, the Transforming the Education System for Teachers and Students in Liberia (TESTS) Activity has worked towards increasing access to pre-service teacher education through the adoption of scholarships, especially for under-represented groups among the teaching body. Scholarships have allowed for a more robust application process, and the prioritization of women and people with disabilities as applicants to the pre-service teacher education programs.

Additionally, professional development activities that influence foundational skills instruction provide an opportunity to challenge stereotypes and norms that limit gender equality.  In the Dominican Republic, the READ Program works with school counselors and teachers to build skills to promote gender equality and ensure equal opportunity for girls and boys. 

2. Support the development of gender-equitable teaching and learning materials that are accessible to all, including learners with disabilities.

Another promising practice in integrating gender into foundational learning is addressing gender representation in literacy and numeracy-related teaching and learning materials (TLMs). High-quality and inclusive teaching and learning materials can have a positive impact on learners’ attitudes and perceptions of gender roles, as well as promote equity and inclusion, as identified in USAID’s Guidance for Promoting Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Educational Materials. 

During 2021 in Nepal, USAID's Reading for All activity distributed 774 sets of supplementary reading and learning materials inclusive of both female and male role models, and avoided portrayal of gender stereotypical roles. These efforts aim to address the country's complex challenges of discrimination against women and marginalized people, which can hinder their participation in education. 

3. Collaborate with diverse communities to create and promote safe and inclusive in-person and distance-learning environments. 

There are many reasons why learners might not have access to foundational skills learning—from marginalization due to gender identity, sexual orientation, and other intersectional identities—to conflict and crises and expected roles in society. As a result, many learners cannot access safe learning spaces to develop the foundational skills needed to read a simple text, solve a simple math problem, or manage and express their emotions. 

Understanding that education programs are most effective when they account for gender-related challenges is an important step to meeting the needs of learners in different contexts. For example, building on the long history of gender-sensitive programming by USAID/Nepal, in FY21, USAID's Local System Strengthening to Reduce Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (R-CEFM) activity provided remedial education, among other activities, for 7,800 girls and boys at risk of dropping out of school in grades 6-8. In the Dominican Republic, USAID’s READ Program works with school counselors to acquire skills to prevent school violence, as well as with teachers, to ensure equal learning opportunities lead to safe learning environments and the prevention of gender-based violence in primary schools. 

Conclusions

Gender and foundational skills should not be approached as stand-alone issues; USAID programming must consistently integrate gender into foundational skills programming. We must also continuously learn how gender and foundational skills learning intersect so we can adapt our programs and transform harmful stereotypes, attitudes, norms, and practices that can negatively impact access to education. We must strive to provide the best approaches for strengthened foundational learning outcomes for all. To learn more, read USAID’s 2023 Gender Equity and Women’s Empowerment Policy.