THE ROLE OF

CURRICULA AND
TEXTBOOKS IN
PROMOTING GENDER
EQUALITY

MODULE 2 SESSION 1.2

 OBJECTIVES

At the end of the session, the participants

should be able to:

 Promotegender equality in curricula and

textbooks; and

 Identify
gender biases and imbalances
found in textbooks.
 OVERVIEW

The most visible form of conveying

messages, instilling knowledge and shaping
attitudes, values and behaviors among the
learners are the textbooks. The formal
school curriculum has a central role in
promoting gender equality. It is important
that the blueprint to be used in shaping
knowledge and learning processes provide
equal representation of both men and
women.
EXAMINE THE IMAGE BELOW AND IDENTIFY THE GENDER
BIAS IN THE IMAGE. DO THIS IN 10 MINUTES.

A picture taken from an English language textbook.

 In the image there are six people, four men
and two women, shown in different jobs. The
men pictured include a construction worker,
a doctor, a police officer, and a truck driver.
The women shown include a farm worker and
a food store employee

 The image shows men and women in gender-

stereotyped jobs in two ways. First, male
representation is double that of female.
Second, the men generally are working in
higher-level, more economically powerful
jobs.
 ACTIVITY
 Perform the activity that will help in promoting
gender equality and eliminating gender biases
and imbalances. Form groups based on the grade
level that you are handling then form a picture or
a tableau showing the assigned tasks. Do this in
20 minutes.

 Household chores
 Technical works
 Street cleaners
 Food attendants
 Professionals
 ANALYSIS

 How did you feel as you posed for a picture?

 What did you notice as the member of the
group portrayed the tasks assigned to
them?
 Do you think there is equality in terms of
assigning the tasks?
 Are the pictures the same the way they are
depicted in books?
 What will you suggest in order to prevent
gender biases and imbalances?
 ABSTRACTION
Curricula and textbooks may
either poster gender equality or
hinder it. Thus, the teacher has
a great role in identifying gender
biases by examining and
scrutinizing different textbooks
used in teaching
Foster Gender Equality Hinder Gender Equality
• Boys and girls are • Boys and girls are always
presented as studying and doing different things
playing together. separately.
• Curricula and textbooks • Girls/Women are mainly
depict interchangeable depicted in connection
task distribution between with household activities,
girls/women and while boys/men in
boys/men in the context of connection to challenging
daily professional and and complex activities.
public activities.
• Curricula and textbooks • Boys and girls are
focus on individual depicted stereotypically
characteristics of boys such as boys are prone to
and girls and not on the risky work and
collective characteristics. destructive activities
while girls are always
sweet and gentle.
Foster Gender Equality Hinder Gender Equality
• Both women and men • Mainly men are
contribute to the contributors of curricula
development of curricula and textbooks authors.
and textbooks as authors.
• Women and men are • The contribution of
equally mentioned as women as heroes,
heroes, scientists, artists, scientists, artists, etc. is
etc. rather exceptional and
isolated.
• Girls and boys are equally • Those usually depicted in
depicted as able to be leadership are boys/men.
trusted with challenging
complex tasks and
responsibilities.
Foster Gender Equality Hinder Gender Equality
• Curricula and textbooks • Curricula and textbooks
proposed differentiated segregate gender-based
activities that address activities on the
individual learning styles. assumptions such as
assuming that girls don
not like Science and
Technology or that
preparation for life and
work should be different
for girls and boys (i.e girls
need cooking course; boys
need computer class)
 APPLICATION
Assess the books using the following scale. Do this
in 25 minutes.
Textbook SCALE
Identifica 1 2 3 4 5
tion Free of Only rare Average Quite a Extremely
gender gender lot of gender
biases biases gender biased
biases
Textbook 1
Comments
and
examples
Textbook 2
Comments
and
examples