Dated: 20th August 2024
SIGMA Foundation has completed a Landscape study for Room to Read in 6 states of India- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Telangana. The landscape study examined the gendered practices and perceptions in day-to-day activities in school with these research questions- (i) what are the implicit and explicit gender biases among teachers, (ii) what are the ways in which gendered behaviour and practices manifest in teachers (iii) what are children’s perceptions, experiences and responses of gender unequal practices, and (iv) actual gender unequal practices seen in the schools vis-à-vis children’s perceptions and experiences. 15 schools were selected across 4 districts of each of the selected states. Assessment in each school was done through feedback on various activities by the students and teachers and classroom observation by collecting qualitative data. A play-based activity was conducted with a group of students from classes 1 and 2 in each school. A total of 175 teachers were interviewed against a target of 30 teachers in each state, selecting 2 from each school, one head teacher and one assistant teacher. In this process, the researchers spent an entire day in each school to understand the gendered nature of practices and perceptions in the school. The study highlighted how gender segregation and stereotypes are reinforced in schools and also recommend ways how schools can help in imbibing more gender equal practices.
