GENDER SEGREGATED EDUCATION IN UAE

GENDER SEGREGATED EDUCATION IN UAE

Introduction

Education in the United Arab Emirates has come along way since its merge in 1972. IT has been an iteration of different education systems even before the unification of the UAE. The UAE education system is divided into public schools, private schools, and institutes of higher learning. Most of these systems follow the Arabic curriculum used in there. Still, others have adopted curricula from 15 different countries, including India, America, British, French, Germany, International Baccalaureate (IB), Pakistani, among others. These curricula account for 90% of the private schools in the UAE

The Islamic culture, however, is a root factor that has anchored the education system of the Emiratis. From the language used to religion, it has played an essential role in the education systems of the Emirati people. It is the reason the UAE has the best education systems in the Middle East regions. Despite this factor, gender segregation in education remains a significant issue in the education systems.

Gender segregated education in the UAE.

Gender segregation in the education systems has been the norm in the UAE public school, where boys and girls learn from different classes. It had been the case since the beginning of education in the UAE in 1972. The boys and girls even have different hours with which they learn. This, however, not the case in private schools that are more advanced in terms of gender segregation and education systems.

Speaking to different parents and teachers on the measures the Government of UAE is taking; It is clear that personnel in the education sector, as well as parents, have mixed reactions on the matter. Some have gone the extra mile of withdrawing their children from the public schools where segregation has been abolished. The change, however, has only implemented on children from grade one in 2018 and will go on subsequently over the years up to grade four. The government is adamant about making the changes that will take place from Grade 0nne to Grade four. Despite this effort, some issues have been raised by a concerned parent.  Fatima Al Ameri, an Emirati mother of two girls and two boys who attend public schools between KG2 and Grade 8, said the decision will prove “100 percent negative and has no benefits whatsoever.” It is a process that will prove as yet another parent Argued that his son wanted to leave the school when he heard that they would be learning together with girls. This is a clear sign of a chauvinistic mentality in the education systems in the UAE

The new system, however, is likely to bring more benefits than damage,” said Aishah Alyammahi, principal of Al Asayel School. He believes that the changes have a long-term effect on the students. Eventually, the students are likely to meet in the institutions of higher learning, such as universities and colleges. It is, therefore, healthy and beneficial to both genders and the society that the children should learn to interact at an early stage. He argues that it will cultivate respect and unity among them instead of a chauvinistic society where girls and women are not respected.

The Gender segregation issue has been not only an issue in UAE but also an arising matter in a world where gender equality is being advocated for strongly. Organizations such as The World Economic Forum (WEF), which publishes annual reports and ranks states in terms of competitiveness and gender equality and the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), are now looking into the gender issue. Global Gender Gap Index, which looks into the involvement of women in matters such as economy and opportunity, educational fulfillment, health and survival, and their link to competitiveness, has rated the UAE a low 105 out of 130 countries regarding gender equality.  Despite this ranking, it also places the UAE in first place among the countries where women have attained significant education

Data undertaken by GGGI has proved that 27% make it to higher education as compared to 70% of females. It shows a wide gap between the male and female in the education system that is brought about by issues related to schooling, family background, among others. Boy schooling in the UAE is perceived to be an unconducive environment with little attention by the teachers, who expect little from the teachers and, in return, give up very little. Dropout rates in boy schools are high compared to girls’ schools. This is a sign that something is being done better in girls’ schools whose dropout rates are relatively low compared to boys. In a  study of 250 Emirati schools done by Ridge (2008), results showed that girls ranked their school as excellent compared to boys who said good or average. In yet another Emirate of Sharjah, studies show that boys were less motivated and liked school less compared to girls. These are issues that can be attributed to poor teacher quality and motivations such as teacher salaries and incentives and low expectations of the boychild. Although the Teaching requirement in UAE is an undergraduate and is mostly reliant on expatriates, the practice itself differs from one gender to another. This aspect brings a wider drift in the quality of education.

Conclusion

The education system in the UAE has come a long way. Being ranked on the first position in empowering women’s education, it has shown significant progress. It is, however, still lagging on the Gender segregation on matters regarding education. The government has put in place policies where boys and girls will learn together from first to fourth grade. The gender mixing has been a trend in the private schools in UAE and therefore has raised their performance. A blend of gender has worked in boosting the education system in other GCC countries and is a policy the UAE should keep implementing for a long-run benefit.

References

Alhebsi. A (2015) THE GLOBAL eLearning JOURNAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 1, 2015; A History of Education in the United Arab Emirates and Trucial Sheikdoms. Retrieved from https://aurak.ac.ae/publications/A-History-of-Education-in-the-United-Arab-Emirates-and-Trucial-Sheikdoms.pdf

Dajani. H and  Rizvi. A (2018) The National: Boys and girls to be educated together in major shift for UAE’s public schools. Retrieved from https://www.thenational.ae/uae/boys-and-girls-to-be-educated-together-in-major-shift-for-uae-s-public-schools-1.745934

Ridge. N (2009) Dubai School of Government Policy Brief; The Hidden Gender Gap in Education in the UAE. Retrieved from https://www.mbrsg.ae/getattachment/2dee9885-631c-40a2-9e5f-d5c292a80e01/The-Hidden-Gender-Gap-in-Education-in-the-UAE

Anderson. E (2012) Is there a crisis for boys? Gender Differences in Student Achievement and Teacher Training Characteristics in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries. Retrieved from https://preserve.lehigh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2394&context=etd