According to the Global Education Monitoring Report published by UNESCO, madrasas and other religion-based schools in Asia may nullify some of the positive effects of increased access to education on gender equality and lead to the persistence of patriarchal norms and attitudes in society. Huh. The report, on the topic “Deepening the debate over those left behind,” noted that non-state religion-based schools in Asia have increased girls’ access to education, but this comes at a cost. Madrasa graduates have a less favorable attitude towards higher education for girls and working mothers, consider children the main responsibility of wives, believe that the optimal number of children was dependent on God and indicates a preference for large families, it Told.
“Several decades ago gender inequality in education was high in many Muslim-majority countries in Asia. Significant progress has been achieved in increasing access and bridging the gender gap in partnership with non-state faith-based providers. Girls in madrassas The increase in enrollment of women helped reduce social constraints on women’s mobility in conservative rural areas, where madrassas have been a low-cost platform for achieving universal education,” the report said.
“Madrasas may also nullify some of the positive impact on gender equality by increasing education access. First, their curriculum and textbooks may not be gender-inclusive, instead reinforcing traditional narratives on gender roles, as in Bangladesh, Studies have shown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Second, their teaching and learning practices such as gender segregation and gender-specific restrictions on social interactions may leave the impression that such gender-unequal practices are social. forms are more widely accepted,” it said.
According to the report, teachers may lack the training to address gender issues and may act as negative models, for example influencing students’ attitudes towards fertility.
“Fourth, more traditional institutions may have progressive role models and restricted environments with limited exposure to the media. Reproduction of traditional gender norms discourages participation in further education and employment. What happens inside faith-based institutions, This has implications for the persistence of patriarchal norms and attitudes in the society,” it said.
Pointing out that non-state faith-based schools in Asia often operate in a complex institutional environment, the report states that there are not one type but many types of institutions that are responsible for the education they provide and the facilities they provide. differ significantly in financial aid. ,
“While madrassas generally follow a curriculum that promotes a religious way of life, the situation is not the same within and between countries. Some countries integrate madrassas with government curricula while others are traditional Stick to the model.”
According to UNESCO experts, the report’s new analysis looked at evidence linking faith-based schools, particularly non-state diversity, with progress or stasis in gender equality in their societies.