Gender discrimination in education is a serious concern even in today’s rather educated and aware environment. Gender refers to a social, psychological, and cultural attributes of masculinity and femininity that are based on biological distinctions. Meanwhile, gender discrimination refers to unfair rights between male and female based on different gender roles which leads to unequal treatment in life. As it regards to education, gender inequality is the discrimination of individuals based on gender in schools.
Sociologist have devoted much thought and research to finding the causes of gender inequality and why males dominate in most societies. Two theoretical approaches have been used to explain dominance and gender inequalities: conflict and functionalism theory. Gender inequality often stems from deeply ingrained gender stereotypes in our societies, where the beliefs about the general characteristics of persons belonging to each gender, are learnt primarily through gender socialization. It is known that family is the primary agent of socialization and it is here that the seeds of gender inequality are sown. However, although gender inequalities might start in the home, they are also perpetuated by other social institutions, one of which is the school, where gender segregation is evident in education.
These inequalities are outlined by the selection of academic courses by students, the curriculum offered in single-sex schools, textbooks used in Caribbean schools, and the differences in gender type between school teachers. Moreover, gender inequality is a very real and ubiquitous problem in Caribbean society, where it is reflected in virtually every sphere of Caribbean life and through education it continues to be a hindrance to the total development of the Caribbean.
