By EUNICE CHIPANGULA
The government of Malawi has been asked to put in place measures towards the elimination of gender disparities and discrimination against women in education.
The Gender Related Law Reform Commission on the Development of Gender Equality Statute said there are a number of challenges affecting women and girls in the education sector which have contributed to their high illiteracy levels.
“Illiteracy rates of women are quite high in Malawi. Within the age group of 20-24 years, the illiteracy rate of girls is 19 per cent against 9 per cent of boys while for the age group of 65 years and above, 70 per cent of women against 38 percent of men,” the Commission disclosed.
It attributed this to problems of retaining children especially the girl child in schools, limited access of girls to school places due to inadequate boarding facilities and learning and financial resources and culture of discriminating against the girl child, among others.
“Government needs to increase enrolment and improve retention of girls in primary, secondary, technical and tertiary education, increase access to opportunity and the award of grants, scholarships and bursaries, conduct gender sensitization at all levels and address matters relating to curriculum development and gender,” the Commission emphasized.
It said currently, there are stereotypes that perpetuate discrimination in text books and syllabus, no specific topic that equip the girl child, women and boys with relevant life skills and sex education and lack of environmental management subjects at all level of curricula.
The Commission said these have to be addressed if Malawi is to have well educated women and girls who will be able to make informed decisions make meaningful contributions towards development.
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