Education has been the center of all developmental milestones ever achieved. The evolution that the education industry has experienced over the years has been tremendous. No doubt, with more advancements, come better quality of higher education being imparted. It has been observed that gender disparity has always remained in the education sector. Ease of access to education was barred from the female population for a long time.
Empowering women was never this burning issue as it is today. With the gap widening in STEM education, it is highly advised for governments and individuals to take active steps toward bridging this void with qualitative offerings. The gross enrolment ratio of women in many countries is still lower than the acceptable rate.
This reflects upon the clear inequality among men and women in education. Allowing strength to women through education is the only way to bridge the gap. As per the UNESCO database 2023, 2% of countries restrict the education of married, pregnant, or parenting women and girls. Isn’t that a clear discrimination?
We cannot believe that we live in 2024 where Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity have grown beyond bounds and are scoring high for the men folk. This reflects upon the lack of access to women in STEM as well. They are being barred from accessing a higher education career even today. All they need is the flexibility of online education and the possibility to access high-quality educational programs at any level.
UNESCO database 2023 further goes on to reveal that 65% of countries do not have laws that specifically protect girls and women in these deficit conditions. When it comes to conflict zones, girls are twice as likely to miss out on higher education than boys. That is an alarming state! Let us delve deeper and understand the reasons behind this grim situation and ways to overcome and evolve equitably.
Beginning with Key Highlights:
- Gender norms present both a challenge and an opportunity for EdTech
- These norms affect who has access to digital tools and education
- Building partnerships helps researchers in adapting EdTech to local contexts and supports innovation
- EdTech is deployed to strengthen gender equality
Gender Norms: Challenges and Opportunities in Higher Education
|
CHALLENGES |
OPPORTUNITIES |
|
|
Online Education: Blessing in Disguise
- Higher Accessibility
Online higher education is gaining strength and becoming accessible to a larger number of the population, including women. Online EdTech institutions and schools have given greater quality access to educational programs worldwide. It also offers higher flexibility and adapts to the learner’s needs.
- Enhanced Foundational skills
These are the set of skills for a global employee which include- Language, literacy, numeracy, and employability skills. Higher education careers are becoming the hot pick for women across capabilities.
- Targeted Adult learning
Global Citizen Research has shown that there are 796 million illiterate people in the world, and women make up over 2/3rds of them. Diverse life circumstances influence people to drop their higher education. Adult learning is the pursuit of high school education by an adult for personal or professional reasons.
Scaling EdTech Innovations: Making Way for Women in STEM
Empowering women is highly beneficial for nations across continents. The impact of quality access to higher education enables transcending the classroom into women’s daily and professional lives. This leads to making informed decisions and giving them greater awareness of their rights and potential. Learning anytime anywhere, enhanced quality of learning resources, and staggering learning opportunities allow enough room for women to thrive and excel in their chosen field, be it STEM or any other.
Practical Strategies to Prepare Young Women for Life Beyond Higher Education:
- Female leader mentorship programs
- Incorporating female role models into the curriculum
- Overcoming gender stereotypes
- Growing beyond the classroom
Global online educational institutions are levied with the responsibility of assisting students prepare for their higher education careers. This is made possible by facilitating connections with industry professionals through organizing alumni networking events, career development workshops, internships, and job fairs. These help in resume writing, interview techniques, and exploring diversified career opportunities.
Final word:
Empowering women is a holistic development program. Promoting gender equity requires a collaborative approach involving parents, businesses, and local authorities. Parents can challenge gender stereotypes and offer equal opportunities for children. Businesses must implement policies to promote inclusivity and diversity. Becoming an agent of change by propagating the talent of the women folk is the way ahead. The time is now to leverage the highest return by investing in the powerful half of the global population.