Unequal education: A study of sex differences in secondary school curricula

Abstract

This publication describes studies of the curricula and standards for teaching and training applied to the two sexes in secondary schools and teacher training colleges. The conclusions are drawn from surveys carried out by the National Commissions for UNESCO of seven countries: Afghanistan, Jamaica, Jordan, Madagascar, Mongolia, Portugal, and Turkey. The studies referred to throughout this work bear witness to UNESCO's efforts to encourage and support action by member states to promote equality of educational opportunity for women and girls, in implementation of the World Plan of Action adopted by the World Conference of the International Women's Year, Mexico 1975, and to reinforce this action during and beyond the United Nations Decade for Women, 1976-1985. The aim of these studies was to compare the curricula drawn up for boys and girls and differences, sometimes subtle, were discovered between the curricula and standards used. It would thus seem that while the school can be a powerful force in helping to create equality of opportunity between the two sexes, it nevertheless reflects the standards of the society to which it belongs and helps to perpetuate traditional roles