High schools have fewer female teachers

KATHMANDU, Aug 5: Female teachers are vastly outnumbered by their male counterparts in Nepal's higher education system, as per the government's Economic Survey Report of 2014/15. The survey report shows, while 61 percent of teachers at primary level (grade 1-5) are women, their numbers fall sharply at secondary and higher secondary levels in community schools.

This skewed gender parity corresponds with the fact that fewer girls enroll in higher education and even fewer complete the program, making them ineligible for competing for higher positions in the teaching field.Women comprise only 16 percent of the teachers at grade nine to 12 in community schools that are dominated by male teachers who make up 81 percent of the workforce. There are only 5,837 female teachers at this level compared to 33,408 males.

At the secondary level (grade 9-10), as many as 20,769 teachers are male and only 3,356 female.

The number shows slight improvement at lower secondary level (grade 6 to 8) with women making up 26 percent of the teaching force. There are 7,636 female teachers at this level as against 29,135 men.

Despite government's reservation for 33 percent seats for women in the teaching service, fewer women claim or qualify for the seats. The qualification has been a major stumbling block in the fight against gender disparity in the teaching service, officials at Teacher's Service Commission (TSC) say.

A secondary level teacher must hold a bachelor degree in a specialized subject, but SLC certificate is sufficient to apply for teacher's license at primary level, as per the eligibility standard of the TSC. Those seeking teaching positions at lower secondary level must have passed 10+2 or intermediate degree.

"Fewer women qualify as a teacher for the higher level," said Uday Raj Soti, TSC chairperson. "The significant presence of female teachers at the primary level shows that the problem is not lack of interest among women for a teaching career, but their qualification." The total number of teachers serving community schools has reached 298,069 from 292,845 last year.

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