Further, clearly focused empirical research is urgently needed in the following areas:
· The reasons for the better performance of girls at single sex schools.· The impact of the streaming of girls and boys for different subjects at both primary and secondary levels.
· The extent of gender bias in curriculum and text books.
· The impact of female teachers and head teachers on school efficiency and academic performance of girls and boys in schools.
· The gender content of teacher training programmes.
· The impact of teacher pedagogy on male and female students.
· Regional disparities in educational provision and performance of both male and female students.
· The quality of education over time in particular in key subjects.
· The reasons for male and female drop out based mainly on interviews with teachers, parents and students.
· The patterns of attendance (rather than beginning of year enrolment figures) of girls and boys at both rural and urban schools.
· The potential obstacles which could hinder the implementation of gender policies and programmes in education.
· The relationship between schooling and the job market and how this affects girls in particular.
The following recommendations for BDDCA refer to measures that can be taken by donors and/or governments. Those which involve legislation can be supported in principle by donors. There are two main types of recommendations: school based and community based. It is not possible to prioritise these because gender strategies are specific to the country context.
· There should be considerably more women teachers in both primary and secondary schools especially for maths and science.
· Incentives and/or subsidies should be offered to women teachers to take up positions in rural areas.
· Gender training should be provided for teachers, headteachers and educational administrators. This would involve retraining of staff in post as well as students in training.
· Fee waivers for girls at secondary school should be considered.
· Affirmative action should rigorously be applied to all ODA funded secondary and tertiary education scholarship schemes (both abroad and in-country) and the goal should be a ratio of male to female students of 50:50.
· Scholarship programmes should particularly target girls who wish to study in maths, science and 'non-traditional' vocational subjects such as engineering and medicine.
· In vocational training institutions, girls who wish to follow previously male dominated courses such as metal and woodworking should be provided with bursaries (if appropriate) as well as academic support and, if necessary, job placement.
· Strategies to support girls in maths and science in particular at both primary and secondary levels should be developed. This would involve streaming by sex and the special training of teachers to raise their awareness of gender issues.
· Gender bias should be eliminated in both curriculum and textbooks as soon as possible.
· Positive attitudes towards girls should be stressed in the design and implementation of all training programmes for teachers, school inspectors and administrators.
· Provision of guidance counselling for girls in schools could be improved with particular emphasis on raising their confidence generally and encouraging them to consider 'non-traditional career paths.
· School transportation schemes should be organised in rural areas where distances between home and school are great.
· Strict codes should apply to teachers with regard to sexual harassment and teenage pregnancy and these should be rigorously enforced.
· The formation of womens' groups should be encouraged and supported.
· In Malawi, the ODA should consider incorporating an adult education component into the CSP aimed particularly at raising the consciousness and political awareness of women through the development of literacy. The precise nature of this programme would be determined by the communities themselves.
· Adult education programmes should introduce income generating elements if considered necessary and appropriate by the communities.
· The encouragement of a more literate environment through the provision of newsletters, books etc. would help to encourage both adults and children to value education.
· Gender should be part of the training courses offered to those involved in school committees.
· Participatory techniques should be used to elicit community participation in the building of new schools.
