Role of women in primary school textbooks associated with teaching, services: Study

Women’s roles in Kenya are associated with teaching and services in primary school social studies textbooks, a study has shown.

On the other hand, the study observes that men are represented as the ones who hold positions as political leaders, businessmen, teachers, policemen or doctors.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's "Global Education Monitoring Report" notes that women in Kenya are rarely depicted as working women.

“When women who work outside their homes are portrayed, the focus is on roles associated with teaching and other services,” notes the report that was released this month.

“Men are depicted in a much wider variety of activities and occupations than women,” adds the report.

The report notes that there is need to improve textbooks to ensure they promote sustainable development.

The report recommends that textbooks should be reviewed and revised as soon as curricula have been reformed to meet the needs of the new sustainable development agenda.

“Guidelines explicitly related to environmental issues, peace and global citizenship, sustainable development, human rights and gender equality need to be integrated within textbook review processes,” adds the report.

The report observes that governments may not have the political clout or courage to reshape the status quo in the topics and themes conveyed through instructional materials.

The report observes that those determining textbook content may decide that a potentially protracted, contentious and even expensive process of textbook revision is unwarranted.