Geslagsgelykheid: 'n kritiese kwessie in die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysbestel - Van der Walt, Maria Margaretha (University of the Free State, 2001)
Despite various attempts from government quarters to promote gender equality in South Africa via legislation, the security, safety and socio-economic status of women are still not regarded highly in many cases. Gender inequality is evident in education where 62% of the education corps is made up of women - yet women hold only 20% of management positions. Thus, there exist several critical gender equality issues in South African education dispensation that should be addressed without delay. A literature investigation indicate causes of gender inequality which vary from social stereotyping, discrimination, patriarchal attitudes, sexism in schools, curriculum material and education management. The school as the single greatest organization in the country can set the tone in terms of gender relations through planning, effective career guidance, considerate relationship between male- and female education managers, participation and effective learning environment. Thus can alileamers (boys and girls) be applied to the full potential of the country's economic and social development. In order to determine if gender equality in schools and communities is a myth or reality, the personal experiences of female teachers and -managers in their places of work should be investigated to find out how much information is available through schools in terms of gender equality issues which occurs regularly. The literature investigation was followed up by empirical investigations, which consists of quantitative and qualitative investigations. Three hundred questionnaires were sent to two hundred schools in South Africa that was selected on an equal basis to investigate gender equality issues in the education system. In order to further penetrate these issues and obtain additional information about gender equality as a critical issue in the education system, including the role of the Education Department in this regard, use was made of in-depth, unstructured interviews with eight women of different cultural groups on a management level higher that school principal. The participants attest to serious discrepancies between the percentage women in education and the percentage women on management level, particularly from deputy principal level and upwards, distrust of the capabilities of female managers, little practical management experience and insufficient support of female managers. In addition, ignorance exists with regards to gender equality legislation while the low prioritization of gender equality by the Education Department and several contradictory statements in the Schools Act create voids through which the community can discriminate against the female pupil. Although discrimination against women in education has improved, the questionnaires and interviews confirm that gender equality issues still occurs in practice. Participants indicate that the core of the message, as implicated by gender equality legislation, has not adequately reached found level. Following summary of the findings of the study, indications are given as to the state of gender equality in the education dispensation, which voids exist and what action steps have already been taken by the education sector. Guidelines and recommendations for the promotion of gender equality by government and on school level are indicated. Furthermore, it is shown that the various role players in education can contribute in promoting gender equality in education in order to achieve gender equality in the South African education dispensation.

Ten spyte van talle pogings vanuit owerheidsweë om geslagsgelykheid in Suid- Afrika deur wetgewing te bevorder, word die vrou se veiligheid, sekuriteit en sosio-ekonomiese status in baie gevalle steeds nie hoog aangeslaan nie. Geslagsongelykheid word baie duidelik in die onderwys weerspieël waar 62% van die onderwyskorps uit vroue bestaan, maar slegs 20% van die bestuursposisies deur vroue beklee word. Daar bestaan gevolglik talle kritiese geslagsgelykheidskwessies in die Suid-Afrikaanse. onderwysbestel wat onverwyld aangespreek moet word. 'n Literatuurondersoek toon dat oorsake van geslagsongelykheid wissel van sosiale stereotipering, diskriminasie, patriargie, seksisme, ongelyke arbeidsverdeling in die huis en arbeidsmark tot ongelykheid in die skool, kurrikulummateriaal en onderwysbestuur. Die skool as grootste enkelorganisasie in die land kan as toonaangewer optree ten opsigte van geslagsverhoudinge deur fyn beplanning, effektiewe beroepsvoorligting, versigtige keuse van onderrigmateriaal, bemagtiging van opvoeders, regstelling van die verhouding tussen manlike- en vroue-onderwysbestuurders, die deelname van alle rolspelers by geslagsentiseringsprogramme en die skepping van 'n veilig en effektiewe leeromgewing. Sodoende kan alle leerders (seuns en dogters) tot die volle potensiaal van die land se ekonomiese en sosiale ontwikkeling aangewend word. Om vas te stelof geslagsgelykheid 'n mite of werklikheid in skole en gemeenskappe is, moet vroue-opvoeders en -bestuurders se persoonlike ervarings juis in hul werkplekke ondersoek word om vas te stel hoeveel inligting deur skole beskikbaar is ten opsigte van geslagsgelykheidskwessies wat alledaags voorkom. Die literatuurondersoek is opgevolg deur empiriese ondersoeke, wat uit kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe ondersoeke bestaan. Driehonderd vraelyste is na tweehonderd skole in Suid-Afrika gestuur wat op 'n ewekansige wyse geselekteer is om ondersoek in te stel na geslagsgelykheidskwessies in die onderwysbestel. Om hierdie kwessies verder te deurgrond en addisionele inligting omtrent geslagsgelykheid as In kritiese kwessie in die onderwysbestel vas te stel, asook watter rol die Onderwysdepartement in hierdie verband speel, is van indiepte- ongestruktureerde onderhoude met agt vroue op bestuursvlakke hoër as skoolhoofvlak vanuit verskillende kultuurgroepe gevoer. Die deelnemers het getuig van ernstige diskrepansies wat heers tussen die persentasie vroue in die onderwys en die persentasie vroue op bestuursvlak, veral vanaf adjunkhoof opwaarts, vrouebestuurders se vermoëns wat gewantrou word, min praktiese bestuurservaring en gebrekkige ondersteuning aan vrouebestuurders. Daarbenewens bestaan daar 'n onkunde rondom geslagsgelykheidswetgewing, die lae prioritisering van geslagsgelykheid deur die Onderwysdepartement en sekere teenstrydighede in die Skolewet wat leemtes skep waardeur die gemeenskap teen die skooldogter kan diskrimineer en vele ander. Alhoewel diskriminasie teen vroue in die onderwys verbeter het, bevestig die vraelyste en onderhoude dus dat geslagsgelykheidskwessies in die praktyk nog steeds voorkom. Deelnemers dui aan dat die kern van die boodskap soos deur gelykheidswetgewing geïmpliseer grondvlak nie voldoende bereik het nie. Na die samevating van die bevindinge van die studie word aangedui wat die stand van geslagsgelykheid in die onderwysbestel is, watter leemtes bestaan en watter aksiestappe reeds deur die onderwyssektor geneem is. Riglyne en aanbevelings ter bevordering van geslagsgelykheid vanuit owerheidsweë en op skoolvlak word aangedui. Daar word verder aangedui dat die onderskeie rolspelers in die onderwys kan bydra om geslagsgelykheid in die onderwys te bevorder sodat geslagsgelykheid in die Suid-Afrikaanse onderwysbestel bewerkstellig kan word.
Thesis (Ph.D. (Comparative Education and Education Management))--University of the Free State, 2001
Keywords: Educational equalization -- South Africa; Sex discrimination in education--South Africa