FAWE Centre of Excellence Model: The Gender Responsive School - Handbook for Education Practitioners

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

The Gender Responsive School The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model A Handbook for Education Practitioners

Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) FAWE House Chania Avenue, off Wood Avenue, Kilimani P.O. Box 21394 - Ngong Road Nairobi 00505, Kenya.

Tel: (254-020) 3873131/3873359 Fax: (254-020) 3874150 Email: fawe@fawe.org www.fawe.org

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

About FAWE

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he Forum for African Women Educationalists is a pan-African non-government organization, founded in 1992, whose goal is to increase access, improve retention and enhance the quality of education for girls and women in Africa. FAWE’s members are African women ministers of education, permanent secretaries, and university chancellors and vice chancellors who come together to wield their positions and influence in pursuit of FAWE’s goal.

FAWE’s mission is to work at continental, national and local levels, together with partners, to create positive societal attitudes, policies and practices that promote equity for girls in terms of access, retention, performance and quality by influencing the transformation of education systems in Africa. To put the goal into operation, FAWE has facilitated the establishment of National Chapters in 33 countries across the continent.

FAWE’s strategic direction for 2002–2006 calls for action in four key areas: Education policy Advocacy Demonstration interventions Replication and mainstreaming Underpinning these is a renewed focus on capacity building at both regional and national levels.

Particular attention is given to developing the skills of National Chapters to influence policy formulation, implementation and monitoring through advocacy, and to demonstrate what works.

The ultimate aim is to influence governments to replicate and mainstream such best practices, with an overall emphasis, in line with Education For All goals, on action on the ground. FAWE is supported by a variety of agencies, foundations and other donor partners.

The Gender Responsive School – The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model: A Handbook for Education Practitioners

Published by: Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) PO Box 21394 - Ngong Road Nairobi 00505, Kenya Printed by:

Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) PO Box 21394 - Ngong Road Nairobi 00505, Kenya

ISBN:

9966-908-83-8

© 2005, Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Contents Acknowledgements ........................................................................................ iv Part I Overview .............................................................................................1 Background ................................................................................................ 2 The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model – A Mechanism for Gender Responsiveness in Education .. 2 What Is a Gender Responsive School? .................................................................. 3 Part II The Preparations ...................................................................................6 UNIT 1: Understanding the Concept of a Gender Responsive School ............................ 7 UNIT 2: Analysing the School from a Gender Perspective......................................... 9 UNIT 3: Consulting with the Ministry of Education (MOE) ....................................... 11 UNIT 4: Conducting a Vision Workshop for All Stakeholders .................................... 13 UNIT 5: Developing the Action Plan ................................................................ 18 Part III The Transformation ............................................................................. 19 UNIT 6: Implementing the Action Plan ............................................................. 20 UNIT 7: Mobilizing Resources ........................................................................ 24 UNIT 8: Monitoring and Evaluating Progress....................................................... 25 References ................................................................................................. 35

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Acknowledgements

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he Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) is grateful to all those who participated in the development of this handbook. Special recognition goes to the parents, teachers, managers and students at the FAWE Centres of Excellence, who “live” the model on a dayto-day basis and whose experiences have paved the way for the insights gathered here. FAWE particularly appreciates the FAWE staff who compiled the handbook: Executive Director Prof.

Penina Mlama, and Programme Officers- Dr Marema Dioum and Lornah Murage.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

PART I

Overview

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he objective of this handbook is to use the FAWE Centre of Excellence (COE) model to provide a tool that can guide education practitioners on how to transform an ordinary school and its surrounding community into an environment that is academically, socially and physically gender responsive.

The handbook is divided into three parts: This ďŹ rst section provides background information on what a gender responsive school is, and gives an overview of the process of transforming an ordinary school into a gender responsive one. Part II, The Preparations, details the preparatory activities required to lay the groundwork for the transformation process. Part III, The Transformation, then provides a step-by-step approach to transforming an ordinary school into an environment that is academically, socially and physically gender responsive.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Background In 1990 the Jomtien World Declaration on Education For All (EFA) galvanized a host of efforts to improve the participation of girls in education. These efforts have resulted in great strides towards improving access for girls.

Statistics nonetheless continue to indicate that there are persistent challenges to the education of the girl child in terms of access, retention and performance. Among the barriers to girls’ education are: Poverty Long held harmful cultural and traditional attitudes, beliefs and practices such as early marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) Poor management of sexual maturation Impact of HIV/AIDS at the household level Teenage pregnancy Disempowerment of girls Disempowerment of boys These hindrances also exist in the majority of schools in Africa, making it difficult to improve the access, retention and performance of girls. In addition, gender insensitive school environments and the lack of gender responsiveness in education delivery negatively affect girls’ education. The lack of respect for gender equality in the school environment is reinforced by the male dominated values and attitudes that are prevalent at the school among students and teachers. Boys and male teachers are not empowered to recognize and accept gender equality between themselves and the girls and women. This in turn leads to sexual harassment, bullying and disregard for girls’ academic capabilities. Girls are socialized to accept this situation passively and thus do not challenge the status quo. This situation makes it difficult for girls to participate effectively in academic processes.

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The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model – A Mechanism for Gender Responsiveness in Education The Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), whose main objective is to promote girls’ education in sub-Saharan Africa, has initiated various interventions to address this situation. One of these is the Gender Responsive School – Centre of Excellence Model (GRS-COE). Started in 1999 in government owned schools, this programme intended to demonstrate how to create a school environment that was gender responsive academically, socially and physically. The four pilot GRS-COEs were AIC Girls’ Primary School, Kajiado, Kenya; FAWE Girls’ School, Gisozi, Rwanda; Grand Diourbel Junior Secondary School, Diourbel, Senegal; and Mgugu Secondary School, Kilosa, Tanzania.

The programme has since been expanded to six other schools in sub-Saharan Africa: Hage Geingob High School, Katutura, Namibia Sambang Upper Basic School, Sambang, The Gambia Athwana Secondary School, Meru, Kenya Lufilyo Secondary School, Tukuyu, Tanzania Mafinga Secondary School, Mafinga, Tanzania Dipeo Primary School, Gaoua, Burkina Faso These schools are at different stages in the transformation process into a gender responsive school. However, after five years, it has became clear that the GRS-COE is an effective intervention in improving girls’ participation in education and has emerged as a best practice in girls’ education in sub Saharan Africa. As a result, Ministries of Education (MOEs) have shown interest in replicating the GRS-COE Model.

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

The Ministries of Education in Kenya and Tanzania have gone a step further by mainstreaming the GRS-COE in the education sector plans (Kenya Educational Strategic Plan 2005–2010 and the Tanzania Secondary Education Development Plan – SEDP 2004–2009). Increasingly, many more education practitioners are showing interest in adopting this best practice in girls’ education.

What Is a Gender Responsive School?

A gender responsive school is one in which the academic, social and physical environment and its surrounding community take into account the specific needs of both girls and boys. This implies that the teachers, parents, community leaders and members, and the boys and girls are all aware of and practice gender equality. It also assumes that school management systems, policies and practices recognize and address the gender- or sex-based needs of both girls and boys. In addition, in a gender responsive school the academic delivery, including teaching methodologies, teaching and learning materials, classroom interaction, and management of academic processes, are gender responsive. The students, both girls and boys, are empowered to practice gender equality and to protect the democratic and human rights of both genders.

The concept extends right to the physical environment in the school – including buildings, furniture and equipment that are also gender friendly.

What Does It Take to Make a School Gender Responsive?

In order to arrive at such a school, a holistic approach involving various interventions is required. The holistic intervention package can

include the following elements: Undertaking gender sensitization of parents, community leaders and members, teachers, girls and boys in order to raise their awareness and understanding of the need to support girls’ education.

Training teachers in the skills for making teaching and learning processes responsive to the specific needs of girls and boys.

Empowering girls with skills for selfconfidence, assertiveness, speaking out, decision making and negotiation in order for them to overcome gender-based constraints to their education.

Empowering boys with skills to de-link from gender oppressive attitudes and practices such as macho-ism, bullying and sexual affronts and to develop the self-confidence needed to accept gender equality positively.

Training the school community in the skills necessary to improve their reproductive health and protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS. Training the school community to manage sexual maturation issues of both girls and boys with particular emphasis on menstruation management.

Training teachers and students in guidance and counselling skills.

Establishing guidance and counselling desks in order to provide services for the social and psychological development of girls and boys.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Providing scholarships and support to needy girls and boys to ensure that they do not drop out of school.

Providing gender responsive infrastructure including: Boarding facilities in case of long distances from school.

Separate and adequate toilets for girls and boys.

Adequate and clean water and sanitation, especially to enhance menstruation management and the overall health of the school community.

Carrying out activities to promote the participation of girls in science, mathematics and technology (SMT) subjects.

Establishing a gender responsive school Physical Environment management system that ensures gender Adequate infrastructure equality in the governance and operation of Classrooms that are adequate for the the school. students.

Undertaking gender training of the school Laboratories for science, technical and ICT management team, including the school subjects. board, parent–teacher association, heads of Dormitories (where needed), matron’s departments and prefects, in order to raise house and dining facilities. their awareness on the need to support girls’ Library. education.

Health facilities (sick bay).

Involving the community and other Amenities (water, telephone, transport, stakeholders in monitoring and taking action electricity and sanitation). to ensure improved enrolment, attendance Teachers’ houses. and performance of girls.

Sport and recreational facilities.

Establishing a database to track student Favourable ecological environment. performance and welfare as well as the levels of gender responsiveness of all aspects of the school.

This holistic intervention package specifically addresses the gender responsiveness of the school. However, it can only be effectively applied if the basic standards of an ordinary school are in place.

What Is an Ordinary School?

Every Ministry of Education has its own basic standards for an ordinary school. Generally, an ordinary school is expected to conform to certain basic standards, as itemized below.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Academic Environment Number of students that matches available facilities and infrastructure.

Adequate teaching and learning materials.

Teachers’ guides, textbooks, library books.

Science equipment and chemicals.

Computers.

Adequate, qualified and motivated teachers.

Effective school management systems.

Functioning code of conduct for teachers.

Teacher and student-friendly school rules and regulations.

Periodic in-service training for teachers.

Social Environment Adequate working conditions for teachers, including salaries, housing and benefits.

Sports and recreational activities.

Operational school board and parent–teacher association.

Community involvement in the school operations.

Inter-school visits and tours.

Resource mobilization through grants, income-generating projects, etc.

It should be borne in mind that it is the responsibility of the MOE and community to bring the school to the minimum required standards in terms of buildings, provision of learning and teaching materials, living and working conditions

for the teachers, and meeting the basic costs of education provision.

FAWE’s experience on the ground indicates that most schools in sub-Saharan Africa do not meet the basic standards of an ordinary school. This factor must be taken into account when contemplating the GRS-COE intervention package because it may be difficult to transform a substandard school into a gender responsive environment. In such a case, it is important that the MOE and the school community take the necessary action to bring the school to the minimum required standards mentioned above, physically academically and socially. Considering the difficulties that MOEs and communities have in establishing ordinary schools, the GRS-COE intervention can still be undertaken while the processes by the MOE and school community to bring the school to the minimum required standards are going on.

The process of transforming an ordinary school into a GRS-COE does not happen overnight. Since achieving gender equality is usually a protracted process, the GRS-COE requires systematic, consistent and persistent action to ensure its success and sustainability. The steps mentioned above are inter-related and should be seen in their totality as constituting a holistic approach to transforming an ordinary school into a gender responsive environment.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

PART II The Preparations

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ignificant groundwork must be laid before an ordinary school can become a GRS-COE. The process involves a holistic approach that includes the following steps: 1. Understanding the concept of the GRS-COE Model.

2. Conducting a situation analysis of the school from a gender perspective.

3. Holding consultations with the Ministry of Education (MOE) as required at all levels.

4. Conducting a Vision Workshop for all the stakeholders.

5. Developing an action plan for transforming an ordinary school into a gender responsive environment.

6. Implementing the action plan.

7. Mobilizing resources to support the implementation of the action plan.

8. Monitoring and evaluating the progress in transforming of the school into a GRSCOE.

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The first five steps describe the preparatory phase before embarking on the process of transforming the school into a gender responsive environment.

The five units of Part II describe this preparatory phase. The steps mentioned above are interrelated and should be seen in their totality as constituting a holistic approach to transforming an ordinary school into a gender responsive environment.

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

UNIT 1: Understanding the Concept of a Gender Responsive School

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clear understanding of the concept of a gender responsive school is essential to the success of the transformation. Recognizing and accepting the need for gender equity is thus the first stage in the process of transformation. This will involve gaining a clear understanding of what is meant by gender and gender responsiveness. The school management should familiarize themselves with the concept of gender.

Objective By the end of this unit, the school management should have gained some understanding of the concepts of “gender”, and “gender responsive school”.

Understanding Gender Gender refers to socially determined roles and relations between men and women and between boys and girls. From a gender perspective men may be seen as heads of the household and decision makers while women are regarded as homemakers and caregivers. Sex, on the other hand, refers to the biological distinctions between male and female. Men have different body parts from women. Sex differences are biological, God-given and cannot be changed, but gender roles are determined by society and vary from society to society and over time.

Many societies are marked by unequal gender relations – social constructions that result in girls and women being regarded as inferior to boys and men. Women are not given the opportunity to be involved in decision making, they are not given equal access to resources and their human rights are violated.

This discrimination is reflected in the provision of education. Examples of this include the preference to enrol boys in school, discriminatory practices against girls in classroom participation and distribution of learning materials, sexual harassment and bullying. This often has adverse effects on the education of girls. Understanding the impact of gender bias on education is the first step towards rectifying the bias – through a gender responsive school environment. School management wishing to take this step should familiarize themselves with the GRS-COE (see Part I). If possible, the management team should visit an existing GRS-COE.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

In addition to assessing whether the school has met the basic standards of an ordinary school, the management team should lead the school into assessing the school for gender responsiveness. Using the checklist in Unit 8 on Monitoring and Evaluation, the management team should be able to determine the extent to which their school is gender responsive.

The school should reach a consensus that they need to transform their school into a GRSCOE. The school’s commitment will be the driving force towards achieving their goal of transforming the school into a gender responsive school environment.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

UNIT 2: Analysing the School from a Gender Perspective

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successful transformation also requires a solid understanding of the background and the status of the school from a gender perspective – that is, an analysis of the existing level of gender responsiveness, if any. This includes collecting gender disaggregated qualitative and quantitative data on the status of education in the school, socio-economic parameters, cultural, political and policy related factors.

Objective By the end of this unit, school managers and teachers should have the skills to conduct a situation analysis of the school context from a gender perspective.

Situation Analysis of the School A day should be set aside for the school community (teachers and students) to undertake a situation analysis of the school. The analysis entails collecting and analysing information about the school, and then using the information to produce a gender needs assessment report.

Activity 1: Data Collection Collect the following information about your school and the surrounding community: Socio-economic context in which the school operates.

Socio-cultural factors affecting girls’ education in the area (religious, ethnic groupings, languages).

Political context and affiliations.

Geographical location of the school.

History of the school.

Ownership of the school.

School management system (composition of the school board, PTA and any other).

Teachers (male, female, qualifications).

Student population (by gender).

Gender disaggregated data on academic performance, enrolment, retention and completion.

Teaching methodologies in use.

Infrastructure and facilities (school mapping).

Existing social and gender relations in the school and the surrounding community.

Social amenities (water, electricity, transport, telephone, health services).

Activity 2: Data Analysis Analyse the data you have collected by asking the following questions: What are the issues and needs of your school?

What are the specific needs for boys?

What are the specific needs for girls?

Do female teachers and non teaching staff face any specific problems?

What about the male teachers and non teaching staff?

What are the priority areas for action in your school?

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Activity 3: Gender Needs Assessment After this data collection and analysis, the school should produce a Gender Needs Assessment Report on the school. This report will have several useful functions.

As part of the process of transforming the school into a gender responsive school, the school management will need to hold consultations with the ministry of education at all levels. The Needs Assessment Report will be a key document to be used in these consultations. The report will also be an important monitoring tool for the school.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

UNIT 3: Consulting with the Ministry of Education (MOE)

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any changes will take place in the process of transforming an ordinary school into a GRS-COE. For these changes to be implemented effectively, it is necessary that all the stakeholders be involved right from the beginning. These stakeholders include the ministry officials responsible for the school at national, regional, district and local levels who have a critical role to play in the operations of the school. As education authorities, all these stakeholders are critical in facilitating and ensuring the smooth implementation of programmes at the school level.

Objective By the end of this unit, the school community should have the knowledge and skills on how to garner the support, commitment and involvement of the relevant education authorities at the national, regional, district and local levels towards the transformation of their school into a GRS-COE.

Building Consensus Once the school has reached a consensus on becoming a GRS-COE, action should be taken to get the approval and commitment of the following educational authorities or bodies:

School Board and PTA

Local authorities

District education office

Consultations at Different Levels

Regional education office The Gender Needs Assessment Report and other available literature on gender responsive schools National Ministry of Education should provide input into the consultations.

Any other relevant structure Among the possible resources are the FAWE publication, Centres of Excellence: Creating a Conducive School Environment –- FAWE Best Practices in Girls’ Education Series No. 1.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Formal Authorization (MOU) The management should obtain formal permission to proceed with the transformation.

This could be in the form of a letter from or a memorandum of understanding with the relevant authorities authorizing the school to become a GRS-COE. Roles and Responsibilities During consultation with the authorities, the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders in the transformation of the school should be clearly speciďŹ ed. It is recommended that consultations should be undertaken face to face.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

UNIT 4: Conducting a Vision Workshop for All Stakeholders

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ollective ownership and implementation of the GRS-COE programme can best be attained when the various stakeholders have a clear idea of the kind of school they want. The next step therefore is to hold a Vision Workshop involving all stakeholders to develop a common vision for the GRS-COE. The Vision Workshop should be conducted in a participatory manner and ensure the participation of all stakeholders. The stakeholders should include the teachers, students – both girls and boys – the school management, parents, community leaders and members, and MOE officials at all levels.

Objective

Workshop Proceedings

A Vision Workshop ideally lasts between four and five days. At the workshop the stakeholders By the end of this unit, the school should do the following: have acquired the skills to develop a common Assess the status of the school. vision for their school as a GRS-COE involving Identify the issues and problems leading to all the school stakeholders. lack of gender responsiveness of the school academically, socially and physically.

Identify the effects of those issues and Workshop Preparations problems.

A number of activities are required to prepare for the Vision Workshop to take place at the Suggest possible solutions.

Agree on what action needs to be undertaken school. These include: to transform the school into a gender Obtaining authorization from the relevant responsive environment. authorities to hold the workshop.

Identifying participants from all the Ground Rules for the Vision Workshop stakeholders.

Deciding the dates and specific venue at the The Vision Workshop is an inclusive process and is guided by a number of ground rules including school.

Informing community members of the purpose the following: Efforts should be made for everyone in the and expected outcome of the workshop.

Vision Workshop to participate actively.

Sending out invitation to participants.

Democratic principles should be observed in Identifying facilitators in participatory all the processes, such as choosing leaders methodologies. and assigning tasks.

Mobilizing financial and human resources for Gender should be taken into account the workshop. including observing gender equality in participation, both in terms of numbers and An organizing committee should be formed levels of participation by boys and girls, men involving representatives from all the and women. stakeholders (students – both girls and boys, teachers, school management and community). Respect for everybody’s views and opinions, both youth and adults, should be upheld.

Ethics and etiquette should be observed.

Punctuality and discipline should be observed.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Group work should be used throughout the workshop. When creating the groups, the facilitators should mix participants across lines of gender, social class, education background, religion and ethnicity, as well as representation from the different stakeholder groups.

As much as possible, the facilitators should allow the participants to lead the processes for example, by selecting their own group leaders, presenters, rapporteurs or recorders.

The facilitator should pay special attention to ensuring that students, both boys and girls, participate actively in the process. The facilitators should use the contributions of the participants in terms of ice breakers, songs and dances

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The Tuseme Approach FAWE’s experience has shown that the Tuseme model, which is derived from the Theatre for Development (TFD) approach, is an effective process for arriving at a common vision for the GRS-COE. It is therefore highly recommended that the facilitator uses the Tuseme model summarized in the box below. (For more details refer to Empowering Youth through TUSEME “Let us Speak Out” – A Teacher’s Handbook, FAWE, University of Dar es Salaam, Miali, 2005, and Tuseme “Speak Out” Empowerment of Girls, Tanzania, FAWE Best Practices in Girls’ Education Series No. 2).

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Applying the Tuseme Process to the Vision Workshop The Tuseme process for the Vision Workshop follows six steps – familiarization, data collection, data analysis, theatre creation, theatre performance and post performance discussion.

Step 1. Familiarization Familiarization is observing and exploring different aspects of the school in order to understand the working environment.

During familiarization the participants collect information about: The social environment of the school including the different social groups, surrounding community and history of the school.

The physical environment of the school (the boundaries, physical facilities such as classroom, library, laboratories and toilets).

The academic issues in the school (performance of girls and boys, the teachers, the management, teaching and learning materials).

During familiarization, the facilitators: Divide the participants into small groups preferably of not more than ten members.

Assign the groups to different areas of the school and surrounding community.

The groups should then report their findings back to the workshop.

Step 2. Data Collection Data collection is the process of gathering information on problems and issues within and out of school related to academic and social development of both boys and girls. The data collection should be done from a gender perspective and focus on problems that affect the academic and social development of: All students – both boys and girls Girls only Boys only For example, data are collected on issues related to teaching and learning, school management, social amenities, social relations, school infrastructure, relationship with the community, student–teacher interaction, student–student interaction, leadership, etc.

During data collection, the facilitators: Divide the participants into groups preferably of not more than 10 members Assign the groups to collect data on the three areas: academic environment, social environment and physical environment.

The groups report their findings back to the workshop.

Step 3. Data Analysis Data analysis is the examination and discussion of the collected data in order to seek deeper understanding of the issues and problems, the root causes, effects and possible solutions. The problems are compiled into one list and similar problems clustered together. The problems should then be categorized into three: Problems that affect both boys and girls Problems that affect girls only Problems that affect boys only.

The problems are then organized according to priority and the major issues selected for analysis. There should be problems from each of the three categories. It is important to get the views of all the stakeholders on each of the issues raised. The matrix below can be used for data analysis.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Data Analysis Matrix Effects Problem Girls dropping out of school due to early marriage

Root causes Negative cultural practices Lack of formal education of the parents Poverty

Early pregnancies Poor health Illiteracy

Solutions

Responsible person

Sensitizing the community to stop the practice of early marriage.

Empowering the girls to fight for their rights

Community leaders Parents School management Teachers Students (girls and boys)

During data analysis, the facilitators: Divide the participants into groups. Ensure that the participants remain in the same groups as for data collection.

Assign the groups to analyse the data. The participants should report back their findings to the workshop

Step 4. Theatre Creation By now, the participants have analysed, clustered and established priorities for the main issues affecting the academic and social development of both girls and boys. At this stage, they move to theatre creation. Theatre creation is a process through which the participants translate the problems they have identified and analysed and the solutions they have found into theatre performances. The participants themselves identify the theatrical forms they are most familiar with, and the ones that they want to use to communicate their views on the identified problems.

The artistic forms to be used in this theatrical performance can include drama, dance, song, story telling, rap, poetry, recitations – the list is long. The underlying principle of theatre creation is that it has to be participatory.

All the theatre creation processes are undertaken by the participants themselves. They decide on the content of the performance, they direct it and everybody takes part in the performance.

The facilitators: Divide the participants into groups maintaining the same groups as for data analysis.

Guide each group to select one of the problems they have analysed and use it to create a theatre performance.

Each group should prepare a performance of not more than 15 minutes for presentation.

Step 5. Theatre Performance Theatre performance is the participants use to communicate their views to the community through public staging of artistic creations on the problems they have identified. The theatre performance medium is selected because of its effectiveness in communicating issues without causing offence. The fact that performers assume other roles makes them neutral messengers. In addition, the entertainment characteristic of the theatre makes it possible for the audience to absorb the message in a pleasing manner. As such, difficult subjects such as sexual harassment of students by their teachers, forced marriage of girls by their fathers, or bad leadership at the school can be handled by the participants without fear. The theatre performance also gives voice to young people, an opportunity that is denied to them by African cultural practices, which dictates that young people cannot challenge adults.

The theatre performance targets all the stakeholders of the school including students, teachers and non teaching staff, school management, parents and the community. These stakeholders are in one way or another responsible for the problems the students are facing in relation to their academic and social development as well as for the solutions. It is for this reason that all the stakeholders and community are invited to the performance. However, they are not just invited to come and watch, but to participate as key players in the discussion and in taking action to solve the problems.

During theatre performance, each group should present their performance within the specified time of 15 minutes.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Step 6.

Post Performance DiscussionThis is a forum which is held immediately after the performance to discuss issues that were highlighted in the performance. The audience is encouraged to discuss the issues, find solutions, and propose strategies for action.

A discussion is held with the audience where the following issues are raised Does the audience agree that the problem presented exists in their community?

Does the audience agree with the analysis of the problem?

Are the proposed solutions realistic?

What action is required to solve the identified problem?

Who will be responsible for taking action?

The points raised in the discussion should be documented. This information will be used in the preparation of the Action Plan. Following the post performance discussion, a committee should be selected to develop the Action Plan. This committee should have representatives from all stakeholders – students (both boys and girls), teachers (men and women), community members (men and women), PTA and School Board members. The Head Teacher chairs this committee, which should not exceed 10–12 members for effectiveness.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

UNIT 5: Developing the Action Plan

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s a result of the Vision Workshop, all stakeholders have a common vision for the school to become a GRS-COE. They have also identified the issues and problems that need to be addressed in order for the school to be transformed into a GRS-COE. Solutions have been identified as well, along with persons responsible for implementing them. What is now required is action to realize this common vision. It is therefore necessary to develop an Action Plan to translate the vision into reality.

Objective By the end of this unit, the school should have acquired the skills to prepare an Action Plan for their GRS-COE.

Developing the Action Plan The activities to be undertaken to develop the action plan include: Selecting a committee with representatives from all stakeholders to develop the Action Plan. This Committee was selected during the Vision workshop.

Drawing up an Action Plan using the points emerging out of the Vision Workshop. It is expected that the Action Plan will cover the three areas of gender responsiveness in the school environment (academic, social and physical.)

The matrix in the box below is suggested to assist in the development of the Action Plan.

The Committee should share and validate the Action Plan with the school management, all stakeholders and the MOE.

Action Plan Matrix Problem

Root causes

Effects

Solutions

Activity

Time frame

Resources

Girls dropping out of school because of early marriage

Negative cultural practices

Early pregnancies

Lack of formal education of

Poor health

Sensitizing the community to stop early marriage

Jan – Mar Shillings Hold sen20,000 sitization workshops Facilitafor the tors community

Empowering girls to fight for their rights

Hold a Tuseme empowerment workshop

Illiteracy Poverty

Establish a Tuseme girls empowerment club in the school

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Venue

Responsible person

Indicator

Community Reduced cases of early marleaders riage Parents School management Teachers

Reduced dropout

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

PART III

The Transformation

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entral to the concept of GRS-COE is that the school’s academic, social and physical environments – both within the school and in the surrounding community – are holistically gender responsive. This implies that: The teachers, parents, community leaders and members, boys and girls, are all aware of, and practice, gender equality.

The school management system, education policy and daily practice recognize and address the gender-based needs of both boys and girls.

The academic delivery including teaching methodologies, teaching and learning materials, classroom interaction, and management of academic processes, is also gender responsive.

The students, both girls and boys, are empowered to practice gender equality and protect the democratic and human rights of both genders.

The physical environment in the school including buildings, furniture and equipment is also gender friendly.

As we have seen, however, a number of factors hinder the school from having a gender responsive environment academically, socially and physically. From an academic perspective these factors could include teachers who are not gender responsive, gender stereotypes in teaching and learning materials, and language used in the classroom that is not gender responsive. Other factors are attitudes that demean the academic capabilities of girls, especially in SMT, gender discrimination in classroom interactions, unequal opportunities, and disregard of gender specific needs such as sexual maturation.

Among the barriers from a social perspective are unequal distribution of household chores, early marriage, lack of safety and security, sexual harassment and sexual violence, early pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and retrogressive cultural values. Besides these, attitudes and practices that place low value on girls’ education, socialization processes that disempower girls and encourage macho-ism and oppression of the girls by the boys, and the overall disregard of human rights of girls and women can all have negative consequences for the education of girls. The main obstacles in the physical environment are lack of water, sanitation and health facilities to respond to the problems associated with menstruation management, physical facilities that are not gender responsive and lack of boarding facilities in cases where girls live long distances from school. All these can negatively affect girls’ participation in education.

In light of all these factors, it is imperative to ensure the implementation of the Action Plan so as to transform the school into a gender responsive school.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

UNIT 6: Implementing the Action Plan

T

he Action Plan has already highlighted the actions to be undertaken to transform the school into a GRS COE. The next step is to implement the Action Plan. The school should come up with a system to implement the Action Plan and the overall transformation of the school into a GRS COE.

Objective By the end of this unit, the school should have the necessary knowledge and skills to implement the GRS COE Action Plan.

Mechanisms to Support the Implementation of the Action Plan In order to effectively implement the Action Plan, it is necessary and important to put in place mechanisms to support the process.

The following are suggestions on possible mechanisms to assist in this process.

The Head Teacher of the GRS-COE The Head teacher of the GRS-COE is the overall supervisor of the implementation of the GRSCOE Action Plan. As such, the Head teacher plays a key role in championing the transformation of the school into a GRS-COE and in facilitating the support mechanisms.

GRS-COE Committees In order to ensure effective implementation of the Action Plan, the school is encouraged to form small committees or task forces to be in charge of implementing the three major areas of the Action Plan: academic, social and physical environments. Students, both girls and boys, should be represented in these committees.

GRS- COE Student Task Force In a GRS-COE, students, both boys and girls, play an active role in all the processes of transforming the school into a GRS-COE. The student bodies, for example, student barazas, clubs and prefect systems need to embrace the concept of the GRS-COE into their activities.

The students, both girls and boys, should take 20

an active part in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the transformation of a school into a GRS-COE. The students, girls and boys, can create a special structure such as GRS-COE Students’ Task Force to facilitate such participation.

GRS COE Teacher A structure should be established within the management system for monitoring the implementation of the Action Plan for transforming the school into a GRS-COE. It is suggested that one teacher should be designated as the GRS-COE teacher. The GRS COE teacher will be responsible for ensuring the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the transformation of the school into a GRS-COE. The teacher should work closely with the school management, especially the head teacher, in all the processes.

It is suggested that the Action Plan becomes an integral part of the school work plan and calendar.

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

The Gender Responsive Intervention Package Factors hindering gender responsiveness in a school differ from place to place. Nevertheless, it is also true that the main factors are similar across sub-Saharan Africa. It is worth revisiting the intervention package discussed in Part I, as it has been tried in a number of countries with considerable success. The package is reproduced here (see box) for ease of reference for its possible application to the specific gender responsive Action Plan developed by the school. The intervention package is comprehensive and so provides a reliable guideline for the transformation of a school into a gender responsive school. Each school is unique, however, and will likely wish to select relevant aspects or add others, according to its own specific needs and priorities.

For a gender responsive academic environment:

Conduct gender sensitization of teachers and students both girls and boys.

Training of teachers in the skills of gender responsive pedagogy (Gender Responsive Pedagogy: A Teacher’s Handbook, FAWE, 2005).

Ensure gender responsiveness in education delivery. This includes the use of gender responsive teaching methodologies.

Review teaching and learning materials for gender responsiveness such as stereotypes in textbooks and teaching aids.

Produce gender responsive teaching and learning materials.

Review classroom interaction processes for gender responsiveness in terms of language use, seating arrangements, teacher–student interaction, student–student interaction, and equal access to learning materials including libraries and laboratories, and making appropriate changes where necessary.

Sensitize teachers on the need to be aware of, and to address, specific gender needs such as sexual maturation issues, for example how to address absenteeism from class due to menstruation.

Institute activities to promote the participation of girls in science, mathematics and technology (SMT) subjects – science camps, study groups, study tours, exposure to female role models, etc.

Ensure that girls and boys have equal access to available science equipment and supplies.

Eliminate corporal punishment.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

For a gender responsive social environment:

Conduct gender sensitization of parents, community leaders and members, teachers, boys and girls.

Involve the community in monitoring and taking action to ensure attendance and good performance of girls.

Empower girls with skills for self-confidence, assertiveness, speaking out, decision making and negotiation. This can effectively be done through the establishment of Tuseme Clubs (See Empowering Youth through TUSEME “Let us Speak Out” – A Teacher’s Handbook, FAWE, University of Dar es Salaam, Miali, 2005 ).

Empower boys with skills needed to de-link from gender oppressive attitudes and practices such as macho-ism, bullying and sexual affronts, and to build boys’ self-confidence to accept gender equality positively.

Train the school community in reproductive health with attention to sexuality and protection against HIV/AIDS. Establish guidance and counselling desks and train teachers and students, both boys and girls, in the relevant counselling skills.

Provide scholarships and support to needy girls and boys.

Mobilize communities to assist in curbing early teenage pregnancies.

Sensitize parents against practices that can negatively affect girls’ education such as early marriage, reluctance to take girls to school, treating girls as sex objects, excessive household chores, and others.

Ensure gender equality in the composition of committees and task forces.

For a gender responsive physical environment:

Ensure the provision of gender responsive infrastructure including: boarding facilities, especially for girls, in case of long distances from school, separate and adequate toilets, and sanitation and heath facilities with specific reference to sexual maturation management for girls and boys (for example, doors with hooks in girls’ bathrooms and toilets).

Providing adequate water supply at the school to improve general hygiene, to respond to sexual maturation needs and to eliminate the practice of girls spending study time carrying water from long distances.

Install incinerators near the girls’ toilets.

Acquire furniture such as laboratory stools and desks that are gender friendly Install adequate safety and security measures, especially at night.Involve the community in monitoring and taking action to ensure attendance and good performance of girls.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

For a gender responsive school management system: The effective implementation of the GRS COE intervention package requires a gender responsive school management system. The school management team must champion the cause and lead the process of transforming the school into a gender responsive environment.

The following steps will be required: Establish a gender responsive school management system Gender training of the school management team including the school board, PTA, heads of departments and prefects Establish a gender disaggregated database for tracking students performance to monitor the academic progress and social development of both girls and boys Implementation of gender responsive policies at the school level for example, re-entry for students who get pregnant and afďŹ rmative action in enrolment Ensure gender equity in enrolment, performance and completion.

Encourage students and teachers to perform well through awarding excellence Ensure that girls are not engaged in performing household chores for teachers during school time Ensure effective management of social amenities including water, sanitation and health Ensure the establishment of and adherence to a gender responsive code of conduct for both teachers and students both girls and boys Ensure the school rules and regulations are gender responsive Monitor and enforce laws that protect the rights of students, especially girls for example in relation to sexual harassment, pregnancy, early marriage, rape, FGM Ensure gender equality in the school leadership system (heads of department, prefects and monitors).

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

UNIT 7: Mobilizing Resources

S

ince Gender Responsive Schools – Centres of Excellence (GRS-COE) are government-owned schools, the government provides the basic infrastructure and equipment, most academic and non academic staff, and the basic maintenance costs for the school. In addition, communities usually contribute resources for such items as water and electricity, the purchase of equipment such as computers, and construction of classrooms or teachers’ houses.

Transforming the school into a GRS-COE may require financial resources beyond those the MOE and the community can provide as basic support. The school will need to mobilize the additional human, financial and material resources required for the gender responsive intervention package.

The good news, however, is that experience has shown that many of the actions required to bring about gender responsiveness are based on attitude changes, which may not require much financial input at all.

Objective By the end of this unit, the school should have acquired information and skills on how to mobilize the resources required for the gender responsive school programme.

Resource Mobilization Strategies

The details of the resources (financial, human and material) required for the implementation of the gender responsive intervention package are contained in the Action Plan.

resource mobilization for the gender responsive intervention package.

Requesting an allocation for the intervention package from the Ministry of Education.

Requesting contributions from the parents and community leaders and members.

Developing and sending funding proposals to NGOs and other development partners.

Mobilizing contributions from individuals and well wishers.

Organizing fund raising activities such as walks, bazaars, fetes, open days, fundraisers and dinners.

Among the strategies the school can use to Other stakeholders may come up with other mobilize the required resources for the gender viable suggestions for mobilizing resources for responsive intervention package are: the gender responsive intervention package.

Establishing a standing committee for

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

UNIT 8: Monitoring and Evaluating Progress

M

onitoring and evaluation refer to a system of regular tracking of progress in transforming the school into a gender responsive school. Monitoring includes documenting the outputs of the various activities of the Action Plan through written reports and other forms such as videos, photographs and posters. Evaluation involves periodic review of the monitoring data and assessment of the outcomes against speciďŹ ed indicators of progress.

The indicators for determining the progress into transforming the school into a gender responsive school are contained in the Action Plan. The school gender responsive Needs Assessment Report serves as baseline data.

Objective

By the end of this unit, the school should have acquired the knowledge and skills on how to monitor and evaluate the transformation of the school into a gender responsive school.

Monitoring and Evaluation The system of monitoring the development of the school in terms of the gender responsiveness should cover all aspects of the academic, social and physical environments. The system should also provide for mechanisms through which the Committees and Implementation Task Forces established (see Unit 6) can report back to the stakeholders on a regular basis, for example, to the staff meeting, the student baraza (meetings), school board, parents’ meetings, community forums and other relevant meetings. An Annual Programme Review and Planning Meeting for the gender responsive programme should be institutionalized.

The following activities will facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of the transformation of the school into a gender responsive school: Holding regular meetings of the Task Forces or Committees that are responsible for the academic, social and physical transformation of the school into a gender responsive school.

Documenting each completed activity in the Action Plan.

Documenting the outcomes in terms of the transformation of the school into a gender responsive environment academically, social and physically.

Producing and presenting regular reports to the school board, school baraza, staff meetings, meetings of the management team, parents days, community meetings and other relevant forums.

Sharing results and experiences with stakeholders and other interested parties including policy makers, other schools and education practitioners.

Evaluating the gender responsive programme at the Annual Programme Review and Planning Meeting.

The following table contains a comprehensive checklist for monitoring and assessing progress in the transformation into a gender responsive school. For each aspect of the school environment the table sets out speciďŹ c activities or steps that must be taken, indicators of progress towards achieving the desired results, and a series of questions that will guide the monitoring and assessment of progress.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Checklist for Assessing a School for Gender Responsiveness Gender Responsive Academic Environment Indicators Questions ACTIVITY 1: Training teachers in the skills needed to make teaching and learning processes responsive to the speciďŹ c needs of girls and boys.

Teachers should have acquired the following skills Gender responsive pedagogy

How many teachers have undergone training in gender responsive pedagogy?

How many male teachers?

How many female teachers?

What was the duration of the training?

Where did it take place?

When did it take place?

Which organization offered the training?

Knowledge of gender

How many teachers have undergone gender sensitization?

How many male teachers?

How many female teachers?

What was the duration of the training?

When did the training take place?

Empowerment

How many teachers have undergone empowerment training?

How many male teachers?

How many female teachers?

What was the duration of the training?

When did the training take place?

Which organization organized the training?

What do the teachers think about empowered girls?

Gender responsive lesson planning

How many teachers are producing gender responsive lesson plans?

How many teachers are using gender responsive lesson plans?

Provide some samples of gender responsive lesson plans in different subjects.

Gender responsive delivery of the lesson

What type of gender responsive teaching methodologies do teachers use? Give speciďŹ c examples in different subjects and provide the relevant lesson plans.

What techniques do teachers use to ensure that both girls and boys participate equally in class?

What techniques do teachers use to encourage girls to speak out?

What techniques do teachers use to know if the students have understood the lesson?. Give speciďŹ c examples.

Making teaching and learning materials gender responsive

How does the school ensure that both girls and boys have equal access to textbooks, library facilities, laboratory equipment and other learning materials?

Have the teachers analysed the textbooks for all subjects for gender responsiveness?

Are the textbooks used in the school free of gender stereotypes?

If the textbooks contain gender stereotypes, what action have the teachers taken to deal with the gender stereotypes?

Are the teaching aids used in the school free of gender stereotypes?

If the teaching aids contain gender stereotypes, what action have the teachers taken to deal with the gender stereotypes?

What type of gender responsive teaching aids have the teachers produced? Provide samples from different subjects.

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Handling sexual How many cases of sexual harassment in the classroom have been harassment in the reported during the last six months? classroom Who are the perpetrators? Male teachers? Female teachers? Boys? Girls?

How do teachers handle cases of sexual harassment in the classroom?

Have the cases of sexual harassment decreased in the last one year?

How many teachers have received training on personal sexual control?

What techniques do teachers use to avoid inappropriate sexual behaviour towards students (touching, groping, winking, standing too close, coaxing, unwanted physical and verbal sexual overtures)?

Handling sexual How do teachers handle sexual maturation issues that have an impact maturation issues on the learning processes in the classroom?

Girls who miss classes due to menstrual problems (period pains, lack of sanitary towels, lack of water in the school, separate toilets).

Boys who do not participate due to voice breaking.

Boys and girls who are shy because of their body changes.

Girls and boys having crushes on teachers of the opposite sex.

Girls and boys day-dreaming in class.

How do teachers address these issues in the classroom? Give specific examples.

Are there cases of girls who have come back to school after delivering a baby?

What techniques do the teachers use to ensure that these girls are treated equally in the classroom?

Use of gender Do the teachers know what kind of gender insensitive language is used responsive in the classroom? Give examples.

Is abusive language used in the classroom? Who are the language perpetrators(teachers, boys, girls) and who are the victims (male/female)?

What techniques do teachers use to eliminate such use by themselves and by the students in class?

ACTIVITY 2: Carrying out activities to promote the participation of girls in science, mathematics and technology (SMT) subjects.

Increased number Do teachers encourage girls to opt for science subject? What specific of girls taking sciapproaches have been used? Give specific examples. ence subjects Improved What was the average performance of girls in science subjects and of performance boys in science subjects in the last national examinations? of girls in SMT What specific activities do teachers organize to promote science learning subjects for girls and for boys?

Equal What techniques do teachers use to ensure that girls and boys participation of participate equally in SMT subjects including practicals? Give specific girls and boys examples. in SMT subjects What techniques do teachers use to help students to overcome including their fears and inhibitions, e.g., fear of animals and insects used in practicals experiments?

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Increased par How many girls take computer classes? ticipation of girls How many boys take computer classes? in technological How many male and how many female computer teachers are there subjects in the school?

What techniques do teachers use to make sure that girls and boys especially comhave equal access to computers? puter science ACTIVITY 3: Establishing a gender responsive school management system that ensures gender equality in the governance and operations of the school.

School Does the school have a gender responsive school management management system in place? that is gender Has the school management team undergone gender training? responsive (Board, PTA, heads of department, prefects, committees)?

How many men were trained?

How many women were trained?

What was the duration of the training When did it take place?

Which organization offered the training?

Gender balance How many men and how many women are in each of the in school manmanagement structures agement struc Head and Deputy tures (board, School Board PTA, head of Parent/Teacher Association? departments, Department heads prefects, student Prefects council, com Student council mittees and any Committees other) Which of these structures are headed by men and which ones by women?

School rules and Give speciďŹ c examples of school rules and regulations that make the regulations that school gender responsive. ensure a gender responsive environment

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Existence and enforcement of a code of conduct for teachers and students that supports gender responsiveness

Is the code of conduct for both students and teachers gender responsive?

Does the code of conduct include how to deal with cases of sexual harassment for both teachers and students? Absenteeism? Drunkenness? Misappropriation of funds? Other deviant behaviour?

Give speciďŹ c examples of how these issues have been handled.

How does the school protect the human rights of the students (human dignity, respect, to be heard, health, nutrition, security, not to be exploited for labour, not to be physically violated, e.g., caning, cultural practices such FGM, early marriage and sexual abuse)?

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Existence and enforcement of gender responsive national and school policies

Does the school know of national gender-related policies (e.g., re-entry for teenage mothers, affirmative action in enrolment, bursaries)?

Give examples of the national policies which are being implemented in the school What gender-related policies does the school have? Give specific examples, e.g., a policy to assist poor girls who cannot afford sanitary towels, zero tolerance for sexual harassment or bullying, ensuring gender balance in student leadership positions).

Give examples of how the school is implementing these policies.

Supportive structures for gender responsive pedagogy

Is the type of furniture used in the school appropriate for girls and for boys? Are laboratory stools too high for girls wearing skirts? Are library shelves too high for students to access? Are desks too small?

Does the school have an effective textbook management system to ensure that both girls and boys benefit equally?

Is there a system for awarding excellence (academic and social)? How many boys and how many girls benefited last year?

What is the system for keeping track of the enrolment, retention and performance of boys and girls?

What measures does the school have in place to ensure that girls have access to sanitary pads, especially needy students?

What safety and security measures are in place for students, especially at night?

For girls and for boys?

ACTIVITY 4:

Establishing a database to track students performance and welfare as well as the levels of gender responsiveness of all aspects of the school.

Effective tracking How many girls and how many boys are there in each grade ? of student access by gender Effective tracking of How many girls and how many boys repeated a grade last year? student retention by How many boys and how many girls dropped out last year? gender How many girls dropped out of school due to early marriage in the last academic year?

Effective tracking of student performance by gender

Does the school have a gender-disaggregated database to track students’ performance for each subject and grade?

What is the performance of the students by gender for every year and for each grade and in national examinations?

Effective tracking of the personal welfare of students by gender

Does the school have a gender-disaggregated database to track students’ personal welfare?

How many needy girls and needy boys have received bursaries?

How many teenage pregnancies were there in the school in the last academic year?

How many girls were made pregnant by teachers, students or community members in the last academic year?

How many incidents of sexual harassment or violence (e.g., rape) were there in the school last academic year? Committed by teachers (men or women)? By students (boys and girls)? By community members (men or women)?

How many cases of bullying were reported in the school in the past one year?

How many HIV/AIDS infected students are there in the school? How many boys and how many girls?

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

Effective tracking Does the school have a database for tracking teachers’ performance of teachers and welfare? performance and How many male and how many female teachers are there in the welfare school?

How many teachers does the school have for each subject? How many women and how many men?

What type of qualification do these teachers have (certificate, diploma, 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree, other)? List by gender.

How many teachers’ houses are there? How many are occupied by men and how many by women teachers?

Effective Does the school have a database for tracking the performance and tracking of the welfare of non-teaching staff? performance and How many male and how many female non-teaching staff are there in welfare of nonthe school?

How many non-teaching staff have been trained in gender issues? teaching staff ACTIVITY 5: Empowering girls with skills needed for self-confidence, assertiveness, speaking out, decision making and negotiation in order for them to overcome gender-based constraints to their education.

Girls empowered How many girls have undergone gender sensitization?

How many girls have undergone empowerment training? with skills in: Where and when did the training take place?

Speaking out Decision How long was the training?

Which organization organized the training? making Is there a TUSEME Club in the school?

Negotiation What are the specific activities of the TUSEME Club?

Assertiveness Self-confidence Do girls actively participate in class (leading group discussions, making Leadership presentations, leading science experiments and projects)? Give examples.

Improved academic performance of girls

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Has the academic performance of the girls who have been empowered improved? In what ways? Give specific examples.

What kind of systems have the girls put in place to support each other?

How many girls occupy leadership positions in the school? Which positions?

What action have girls taken to solve gender related problems on their own and with the school administration?

How many cases have the girls reported of gender-related problems facing them in the school, such as sexual harassment, bullying?

How many girls now feel confident to speak out in public (in class, debates, school baraza and other forums)?

How many cases have there been where the girls have successfully negotiated to get out of a situation or obtain something they wanted within the school set up?

How many girls are active in assisting the school management to run the school (managing the library, maintaining discipline, raising funds for needy students)?

How many cases of indiscipline have been reported amongst girls?

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

ACTIVITY 6: Empowering boys with skills needed to de-link from gender oppressive attitude and practices such as macho-ism, bullying and sexual affronts and to develop self confidence to accept gender equality positively.

Boys empowered How many boys have undergone gender sensitization? with skills to How many boys have undergone gender empowerment training? accept and Where and when did the training take place? support gender How long was the training? equality Which organization conducted the training?

Are the boys members of the TUSEME Club in the school if there is one?

What are the specific activities of the TUSEME Club the boys are engaged in?

Do the boys hold leadership positions in these clubs?

Which leadership positions do boys hold in the school?

What do the boys think about the girls who are empowered?

Are the boys aware of any gender-based constraints that could negatively affect the academic and social development of girls?

Which ones?

What kind of activities do the boys undertake to support the girls?

Gender Responsive Social Environment Indicators

Questions

ACTIVITY 7: Undertaking gender sensitization of parents, community leaders and members, in order to raise their awareness and understanding of the need to support girls’ education.

Community How many school community members have undergone gender sensiempowered to tization? support girls’ Parents (men and women) education and Community leaders (men and women) to monitor girls’ Community members (men and women) access, retention What actions have the community taken to support girls’ education and performance (curbing early marriage, eliminating school girl pregnancy, eliminating sexual harassment and violence, reducing household chores for girls, eliminating FGM, encouraging parents to send girls to school)?

What measures has the community taken to ensure that girls attend school?

What measures have community members taken to help the girls to perform well?

What measures has the community taken to make sure that the teachers perform their duties properly?

What measures has the community taken to make sure that the nonteaching staff perform their duties properly?

In what ways is the community actively participating in the management of the school? Give specific examples.

In what way does the community feel that the educational needs of the girls are being taken care of by the school?

In what way does the community feel that the educational needs of the boys are being taken care of by the school?

What does the community think about empowered girls?

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Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

ACTIVITY 8:

Training the school community in the skills to improve their reproductive health and protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases particularly HIV/AIDS. School How many members of the school community (men and women, community boys and girls) have received training in HIV/AIDS prevention? equipped with Management skills to protect Teachers themselves Non teaching staff from HIV/AIDS Students infection.

Community members Community leaders What support does the school and the community give to HIV/AIDS orphans, orphans who head households, students whose parents are sick, students and teachers who are sick? Give speciďŹ c examples.

ACTIVITY 9: Training the school management, teachers and student to manage sexual maturation issues of both girls and boys with particular emphasis on menstruation management.

School How many school community members (men and women, boys and management, girls) have received training on how to manage sexual maturation teachers issues? and students School management equipped with Teachers awareness and Students skills on how to Non teaching staff What measures is the school taking to deal with sexual maturation manage sexual related problems in the school (such as lack of water, sanitary maturation issues towels, incinerators, toilets, bathrooms, medication and disposal bins)?

ACTIVITY 10: Training teachers and students in guidance and counselling skills.

Teachers with How many teachers have received training in guidance and skills in guidance counselling (men and women)?

What programmes are there for guiding and counselling the girls and and counselling the boys?

ACTIVITY 11: Establishing guidance and counselling desks in order to provide services for the social and psychological development of girls and boys.

Guidance and counselling desk in place

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Is there a guidance and counselling desk in the school?

Who is in charge of the guidance and counselling desk (men or women)?

How many boys and how many girls use the services? How often?

How many students (girls and boys) have received training in peer counselling?

How many peer counsellors does the school have? How many boys and how many girls?

What activities do the peer counsellors undertake?

Gender Responsive School- The FAWE Centre of Excellence Model- A Handbook for Practitioners

ACTIVITY 12: Providing scholarships and support to needy girls and boys to ensure that they do not drop out of school.

Needy girls and Does the school have a scholarship programme for needy girls and boys supported boys to continue their How many students (girls and boys) are benefiting from the programme education per year What is the source of funding for the scholarships?

Is there any in-kind support provided to students (e.g. sanitary towels, uniform, books, toiletries)?

Gender Responsive Physical Environment Indicators Questions ACTIVITY 13: Providing gender responsive infrastructure including boarding facilities in case of long distances from school; separate and adequate toilets for girls and boys; adequate and clean water and sanitation, especially to enhance menstruation management and overall health of the school community.

Adequate Does the school have adequate infrastructure? and gender Does the school have boarding facilities for girls? For boys? How many responsive places for girls and how many for boys? physical Does the school have separate toilets for boys and for girls? How many infrastructure in for boys and how many for girls? place How many bathrooms for boys and how many for girls?

Does the school have an incinerator? Is it located near the girls’ toilets?

Does the school have an adequate water supply?

Is there water in the girls’ toilets? boys’ toilets?

Do girls spend study time carrying water? How much time per day?

Are there hooks on the inside of doors in the girls’ toilets and bathrooms?

Is there a sick bay? If not, where is the nearest medical clinic?

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References FAWE. 2004. Tuseme “Speak Out” - Tanzania: FAWE. 2002. In Search of an Ideal School for Girls: FAWE Centres of Excellence. Nairobi: Best Practices in Girls’ Education in Africa Forum for African Women Educationalists.

Series. Nairobi: Forum for African Women Educationalists.

FAWE. 2004. Revisiting the Concept of FAWE Centres of Excellence, Nairobi: Forum for Midlands State University, Zimbabwe, in African Women Educationalists. collaboration with FAWE. 2004. Introduction to Gender Studies: A Training Module for Student Teachers. Nairobi: Forum for African Department of Fine and Performing Arts, University of Dar es Salaam. 2004. Tuseme Women Educationalists.

Project Guide Kit. Dar es Salaam: Department of Fine and Performing Arts, FAWE. 2001. Gender Responsive School University of Dar es Salaam.

Management Systems. Nairobi: Forum for African Women Educationalists.

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