Analysing equality in our school curriculum

1.
Analysing equality in our
school curriculum.
SPAIN
Spanish authorities has just published a new law about equality at school, but we did not have
time to read and analyse it deeply.
Every shool has got a responsible coordinator for gender equality, who is in charge of
controlling if the school respect equality and of developing and carrying out activities that
promote gender equality among our pupils.
Although we have found some aspects in our curriculum that don not respect gender equality:
1.­ Spanish is a sexist language. From a gramatical point of view, it distinguish between
masculine and feminine gender. Masculine is considered to be the general way to refer men
and women.
2.­ Nowadays, it is widely accepted to used both words (masculine and femenine) in spoken
Spanish and to add the femenine end in written Spanish in order to make the language more
respectful with gender equality.
In Spanish book and in our school curriculum this practice is not always applied.
It is true that pictures and text have included more women representation as well as people
from different races, religions and children with some disabilities.
We have also to consider that is called "hidden curriculum", that is, some contents, attitudes
and values that can be learnt at school and that are not intentionality taught. This hidden
curriculum can generate inequality.
GREECE
Coeducation in Greece started in 1929 in Elementary education and in 1985 (1979) in
Secondary education. At first there were only schools for boys and schools for girls in every
city, apart from the distant region in the country, where the conditions didn’t permit anything
different due to building shortage and teachers dynamic.
Nowadays coeducation and gender equality is supported by every law or formal document in
Greece concerning both levels of Education. This is mainly done through The Greek
Constitution.
(«All Greek citizens male and female have equal rights and obligations»)
The school Curriculum.
Through school books, especially through theoretical lessons.
Through relative projects (2­3 hours per week).

2.
Through books’ illustrations. Each book in Literature and Mathematics has 4 heroes­ main
characters, among them children with special needs (in a wheelchair), immigrants or a girl that
symbolizes a famous and important woman .
But according to the “hidden curriculum” in Greece people still believes that boys are more
aggressive, spontaneous, innocent, daring, competitive, smart and capable in mathematics. On
the other hand, the same people still believes that girls are more cunning, obedient, diligent,
suspicious, sensitive and better school performance.
There is a long distance between law and social reality in Greece. We have a lot of job to
do, in order to achieve gender equality.
ROMANIA
The Romanian school curriculum analysis from the perspective of promoting equality
The actual education system in Romania aims at having the chance equality and equity as
an organizing principle. In 2002, law 202, regarding the chance equality between men and
women, came out with precise reference to access to continuous education, embeddedness of
gender aspects in the curriculum,adherence to chance equality in education.
Following more studies, the assumption that the child’s self image reported to gender is
built since an early age, through social models, of group networking.
Explicit and Implicit Manifestations of gender in the school curriculum and
textbooks , a study made at international level, was intended to evaluate ways to reflect
gender dimensions in the school curriculum, at primary and middle level. The study considered
the following aspects: frame objectives, reference objectives, learning activities, contents,
suggestions for the author textbooks, methodological hints for teachers, language generally
used (explicit or implicit message), curricular standards, performance descriptors.
The main conclusions of the study emphasized the following aspects:
­ The educational contents promote a static model for gender relationship, segregation
being rather induced than gender cooperation;
­ Gender roles are mainly traditional;
­ Building gender is made through uniformity not through diversity (we can’t associate
gender with different situations, age , economical or cultural circumstances, life experience,
etc.)
It is recommended that in the teaching – learning process, the accent should be on:
• fostering dialogues about gender during lessons, focusing on promoting gender
equality and partnership;
• the students’ active involvement in the earning process with focus on their former
experience and interests: what they want to learn, what they would rather read, what they
dream about, what they talk about, etc.;
• getting a connection between the school environment and their home environment;
• diversification of learning resources, recommendations regarding bibliography or
other sources approaching different perspectives: men and women, minorities.

3.
At school level, promoting gender equality is made within the school based curriculum.
One or more teachers may contrive a project for the optional courses where the frame
objectives and learning activities are included and build the students’ behaviour and attitude
from the perspective of gender equality.
PORTUGAL
Education of boys and girls ­ Regulations of school
Portuguese Constitution, Art. 13
“All citizens have the same social dignity and are equal in law. Nobody may be privileged,
benefitted, prejudiced, prevented now any right of free of any duty due to lineage ( ancestry)
sex, race, language, country of origin, religion political convictions of ideology”.
The Portuguese Education System challenges the system of inequality which is not in keeping
with a democratic society.
Portugal has already had talks on this subject and defends the system of respect for
differences.
The central arguments is that a mixed school (I. C boys and girls) provides coeducation but
this, in itself, is not enough.
The grouping of school, in practise, provides equality of teaching and discusses the lack of
quality and inequality between boys and girls, man and woman. It calls attention to the
privileged function that the school has in respect of social functions on the part of the pupils
and the education community.
TURKEY
T he first principle of the fundamental principles of Turkish National Education System is
based on “universality and equality” and it says that: ”Education Institutions are open to
everyone without caring his/her language,race,gender or religion.There is no privilege to
anyone,any family,group or community.”
Under this principle,It is clearly emphasized that primary,secondary and high school
education (4+4+4 years) is compulsory for every Turkish citizens and everyone(male or
female) is supplied with equal opportunities.
Successful students without financial opportunities are supplied with free
accommodation,scholarship or education credit in order to make them get education to the
highest level.Special precautions are taken to grow up special needed children and children
that need protection.
Coeducation is the main and fundamental principle of our education system that is secular
and democratic,so differs from other Islamic countries.

4.
Turkey has always been a country that cares the education of women during the
history.Starting from the Ottomans time,women had some rights in terms of education.In 1858,
primary education was compulsory for both boys and girls.In 1911,Girls’Instıtutes were opened
and in 1917,girls started studying in Medicine and Fine Art Faculties.
But,the real revolution starts with the foundation of Turkish Republic in 1923 thanks to our
great leader M.Kemal Atatürk,after The Big Independence War.He knew that the education
and science was the only key of becoming a strong country again and this could be done by
the help of all society,especially of women. So,The number of the girls studying at university
stars increasing by the Republic.While there were only a few hundred female students at
universities in 1930,there are nearly 3 millions girls studying at university,at the moment.
The rate of literate people was just %13 when the Republic was founded,but this rate is %96
now.
The number of students in formal education at the moment is 17,5 million ( 9 million of them
are male and 8,5 millions are female students.) These are great numbers for a country who
had a big war in which he lost hundred thousands of people just one hundred years ago.
Besides,there are nearly one million teachers in formal education,and the most of all,the
rate of female teachers is %55 while this rate is %45 for males.
There are nearly 200 universities in Turkey and there are nearly 90.000 academicians
lecturing in these universities.%60 of them are male and %40 of them female lecturers.
And also Turkey is the country which has a “ Children Festival” in its basic law.This
festival,celebrated on 23rd April every year, is unique all over the world and it is important in
terms of teaching the equality to children.The main principle of this festival is “peace and
equality all over the world”, so the children and teachers send the messages like “peace at
home,peace in the world”,”all children are brothers and sister”,”we are all equal” during the
celebrations in their dances and activities.Thousands of different pupils from different countries
all over the world are invited to Turkey and they are hosted in Turkish students’ homes.They
make great friendships and break down the prejudices.
In the books,a gender equality language is used anymore.To be honest,it wasn’t cared in
the books to this subject until 10 years ago.So,in the pictures in the books,you can see both
genders doing all kind of works to teach the children equality in social and famiy life.
ITALY
GENDER EQUALITY IN OUR CURRICULUM
With the enactment of Law no. 107/2015 of the school system reform has entered a legal
provision on the subject of "Education for equality sexes. It is a rule of compromise with
respect, not only to the bills presented in this Parliament on the subject of gender education,
but also the amendments proposed during the debate which would have enabled the
introduction of effective gender education, rather than declarations of principle that you will
lose in the school autonomy.
During the debate in parliament some lawmakers had proposed the '' sentimental education '

5.
It recalls the intent of the Istanbul Convention like education affectivity tool to overcome gender
violence. The one that was passed instead is a provision of compromise that aims to
"implement the principles of equal opportunities by promoting in schools of all
and level education to gender equality, prevention of gender violence and all
discrimination ". If on the one hand to praise the commitment to insert a general clause that
commits the Promotion of education for gender equality, on the other hand, the only promotion
of gender equality in education is not enough. In fact, it does not oblige the school in activities
to deconstruct cultural models based on gender stereotypes.The debate on the introduction of
education in general and / or sentimental recently did
much to discuss the position of many Catholic associations of parents and
some important cardinals, which highlighted the risk from the spread of gender manuals can
derive a "colonization of minds children” an attempt to the family. According to some, therefore,
the danger is to destabilize Family foundations of conveying a destructive message” There isn’t
a biological difference between men and women"
So there is a lot of confusion about this topic.
For now, therefore, apart from statements of principle and invitations to promote gender
equality, the curriculum remains what it was with the invitation to choose textbooks that do not
have discriminatory stereotypes and encourage activities which counter the lack of respect
between the sexes.
Once again the issue is left to the sensitivity of the individual schools, although at ministerial
level they are promoting training initiatives and projects on equality without that they represent
mandatory steps for anyone (something about the language ­Iitalian tongue is a sexist one­, or
initiatives such as the movie " Suffragette " about women suffragettes who fought for the right
to vote to women.
FINLAND
The Finnish National Board of Education has confirmed the new core curriculum for
basic education and it will be introduced in schools in August 2016. The new core
curriculum emphasizes the joy of learning and the pupils´ active role. Subject teaching
is not being abolished although the new core curriculum for basic education will bring
about some changes.
The core curriculum is based on the learning conception that positive emotional experiences,
collaborative working and interaction as well as creative activity enhance learning.
The subject proportions have been renewed. Firstly, the content of each subject has been
reduced. Secondly, the aims also emphasize the importance of learning environments and
methods, guidance and individualization as well as assessment as a means to support
learning.
In order to meet the challenges of the future, the focus is on transversal (generic)
competences and work across school subjects. Collaborative classroom practices, where
pupils may work with several teachers simultaneously during periods of phenomenon­based
project studies are emphasized.

6.
The principles of equality in Finland also encompass equality regardless of age, origin,
language, religious belief or health.
Schooling has always been highly esteemed, as have quality and equal opportunity. A school
system reform in the 1970s meant that all Finnish children were accorded equal rights and
obligations to study for nine years without charge. All schools and universities are financed by
tax revenues.
Parliamentary reform in 1906 was a major upheaval in political life. For the first time, the right
to vote was extended to include all of the country’s adult citizens, irrespective of gender, class,
wealth or position. Finnish women were the first in Europe and the third in the world with the
right to vote and the first country in the world where women also could be elected.
Gender equality, Curriculum 2004
Boys and girls are given knowledge about and skills for equality. This involves both rights and
obligations in the community as well as in work and family life.
School has to promote tolerance and understanding for other people and cultures
Equal treatment and equality, Curriculum 2016
"The organisation promotes by both values and practices the gender equality and supports the
pupils in their creation of their own identity. The teaching shall have a gender sensitive
approach. School must encourage the pupils to explore their inner abilities, and to relate to
subjects, choises and commitment to studies without gender­linked role­models. Choises,
development of learning environments, strategies and teaching materials, makes the human
diversity become visible and is thereby shown respect.”
The gender equality act states that “boys and girls are given the same possibilities to education
and professional development. Education, research and teaching materials must support
equality. Teaching and teaching materials must prevent gender­based discrimination and avoid
using stereotyped gender roles. Schools must f. e. teach equal and respectul treatment
towards everyone, and also give fundamental information about genders and diversity.”
POLAND
In Poland legal framework for promoting gender equality and gender training in education is
formally assured by international commitments resulting from joining UE and such international
laws ratified by Poland like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women, Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Although in the past National
Plans were developed as a consequence of adopting Beijing Platform (the last one comprised
period 2003­ 2005) “since then there has not been one central comprehensive document that
would guide government policy on equal treatment or gender equality in particular” (Szelewa
2011)

7.
Both scientists and NGOs emphasize that so far the Ministry of National Education has not
worked out consistent gender policy and they critically report such problems concerning the
formal educational system as lack of gender­sensitive teaching policy or guidelines on
curriculum, books and hidden curriculum. They also point out that educational authorities do
not carry out or support gender mainstreaming research or projects (Abramowicz 2011,
Piotrowska, 2009, Dzierzgowska, Rutkowska 2008). As a result, Polish school system
perpetuates stereotypical and traditional sex roles and educates towards national and
patriarchal society where male domination is considered natural (Środa 2008). Candidates for
teachers are generally not provided with knowledge on gender and there are very limited
opportunities of in­service training in this area (Teutsch 2011). Consequently, teachers’ gender
mainstreaming awareness is very low. According to various researches they often transmit
stereotypes, prejudices and present insensitive or even discriminatory behaviour related to
gender­issues (Kopciewicz 2011, Ślusarczyk 2011, pp. 19­35, Chomczyńska­Rubacha 2004,
Dzierzgowska, Rutkowska 2008, Jonczy­Adamska, Wołosik 2009).
Gender issues in education are mostly undertaken by such institutions as Teacher Trade Union
(ZNP) and NGOs (e.g. Polish Federation for Women and Family Planning, Nobody’s Children
Foundation, Group of Sex Educators “Ponton”, "Toward the girls" Association). One of their
initiatives, supported by prominent scientists, was establishing Alliance for Compulsory Sex
Education (2009). Taken from “Exchange of good practices on gender equality “.
BULGARIA
Issues of gender equality in its early stages have a place in classes in Bulgarian language
and literature, as well as classes man and society, man and nature and homeland. This is the
space in textbooks, where illustrations and texts can work for equality as well as demolition of
stereotypes and myths about occupations and family that were created for decades.
Primer(ABC book) for first grade and textbooks in Bulgarian language for 1 st
– 4 th
grade
In most of the topics and illustrations in these textbooks the idea of gender equality is well
realized. Even their covers and front pages depict girls and boys studying in a classroom. This
is significant in terms of gender equality and rights to education. But at the same time it depicts
one of the stereotypes of our educational system, namely­ the teacher is always a woman.
The woman, in her role as a teacher is presented as a role model and bearer of positive
values.
Most often, women are depicted in standard roles of mothers or teachers. Mothers advise
or scold their children, usually boys. Most lessons / in books from 3 rd
and 4 th
grade / repeat the
same illustration where the teacher asks the students ­ a boy and a girl. There is always a
question mark over the girl’s head / she does not know the answer or wants to consider / and
boy makes funny or wrong answer.
It is possible to change the stereotypes in textbooks’ illustrations. The lessons about
school can depict men as teachers. The children kicking a ball at the yard can be girls,

8.
coaches and athletes can be women, and boys could also give flowers and hug moms and
teachers. How else will we teach the boys to express their feelings, affection and concern. In
the lessons associated with cleaning the school or classroom, the boys should also have to
sweep, wipe dust or water the flowers.