Unequal terrain: Why boys feel more secure in school than girls

A congersted dormitory at one of tghe Sub-county schools. [File, Standard]

A new study shows that more boys feel safer in school than their female counterparts.

The new report by Usawa Gender released on Thursday attributes this to better safety standards established in boys’ schools compared to girls’ schools.  

It indicates that male learning institutions across the country have the highest level of adherence to security and safety guidelines at 67 per cent.

According to the study, more boys’ secondary schools (85 per cent) had more medical personnel than girls’ secondary schools (55 per cent) with a disparity in clinics at 50.3 per cent (boys) and 41.5 per cent for girls. 

The study conducted between June and July last year also revealed that boys’ high schools employed more staff trained in first aid at 57.2 per cent compared to girls’ ones at 50.9 per cent. 

Usawa Agenda Executive Director Dr Emmanuel Manyasa said the findings of the report highlight the wide gap between what our education system offers to the majority of Kenyan children contrary to the desired gender transformative education.

He said, “Evidence points at a differential investment in girls’ and boys’ schools in favour of boys’ schools at higher levels which could explain the achievement gaps in favour of boys.” 

Engage parents

This comes at a time when the country is still healing from the death of 21 boys of Hillside Endarasha Academy in Nyeri County who were killed in a fire dormitory early this month. 

Speaking in Nairobi on Thursday during the launch of the report dubbed “Gender Report 2024,” the Kenya National Parents Association chairperson Silas Obuhatsa called on the government to engage parents in formulating the framework to ensure the safety of all learners in school. 

“Parents are directly affected whenever there is a fire incident in schools. We ask the government to collaborate with parents in developing policies and guidelines to make sure that our children are safe while in school,” he said.

“All stakeholders including parents must be involved in the safety systems of schools. We want parents trained on different systems...that can help control the menace,” he added.  

Other several fire incidences in secondary schools have also been reported in recent weeks, further raising questions on the safety of learners in schools. 

These cases prompted the government to renew its efforts toward curbing the menace. 

Recently, the Ministry of Education has started inspection of all public and private boarding schools to assess their level of compliance regarding the safety and security of learners. 

At the same time, the Teachers Service Commission 9TSC) has put on notice headteachers who are yet to comply with the safety guidelines, warning that disciplinary action will be taken if they fail to adhere to the set standards.

“The Commission shall take firm disciplinary action against those found to have flouted the guidelines stipulated in the manual, by the provisions of the Code of Regulations for Teachers and the Code of Conduct and Ethics,” TSC said last Friday. 

Very saddening

While the conversation about gender equality continues to take shape, the Ministry of Gender said the report will inform further decisions to ensure equality in the safety of learners while in school. 

“We are in the process of revising the National Gender Development policy, and this report will inform the changes we look forward to making.” 

Similarly, the survey indicates this trend persists in other areas of development within educational institutions as boys’ schools are better equipped than girls’ schools. 

It emerged that male institutions are better facilitated in terms of learning materials such as laboratory equipment and teacher deployment. 

National Gender and Equality Commission Chief Executive Officer Purity Ngina expressed concern over the inequality.

“The statistics are very saddening. Many of the investments in schools are only favouring boys...It is a call for the government to ensure that this is transformed,” she stated.