Women have recorded a progressive trend in terms of education and schooling over the past decade. 20 years ago, a small group of middle age women has posted secondary education certificate. Today the trend has changed, and more women are doing better than men in education and climbing the career ladder. This assertion should support the fact that educating women is much better than educating men.
Statistics reveal that education indicators of women are much more beneficial than men. Women tend to do more in education than men and the gap are forever widening. Girls tend to score better marks than boys in elementary and secondary schools. Women work harder in school and are more concerned about their G.P.A than their male counterparts. This proves a point that if women are given the same opportunities and concentration as their male colleagues in regards to education, they are more likely to outpace them and develop into better managers and career personnel.
This fact is replicated from the elementary all the way to colleges and universities. A quarter century after women enrolment in colleges and campuses overwhelmed men, the trend is not changing, and, in fact, the gap is widening every now and then. State statistics confirm this allegation and according to Department of Education in the US, women in whatever race and socioeconomic group are more likely to attain a bachelor degree. Men who do are, however, minimal in number and are less likely to do so after four or five years. Grades of men are far worse than those of women.
In elite institutions like Harvard and small liberal arts colleges like Dickson, women are walking off with disproportional shares of the honors degree in the expense of men. The same is replicated in large universities such as University of Wisconsin and U.C.L.A. Even small colleges like Florida Atlantic University have women dominating the honors portfolio.
Sociological theories then to explain and present the bigger picture in personal life’s of individuals. When a social theory is used to study a large number of people in society such as the performance of girls and boys in society, the theory is referred to as macro theory. Typically a macro theory tries to explain conflict and functional groups. The reason why girls should be supported much more than the boys in education systems can be explained using the concept and theory.
Men are not fading away in the education system, but the women dominance is attributed to decrease in discrimination and the widening job opportunities. Women are now accorded the same rights and education standards as women unlike in the past where the balance tilted on the side of men. This empowerment is preparing women to emerge stronger and powerful often leapfrogging men in the academic race.
Statistics from Canada illustrate the fact that girls score higher in the first years at school than boys. This trend is spread across all fields from sciences, mathematics and reading. It is until the age of 15 that slight differences between the performance of boys and girls are noted. The same criteria were recorded with the adult population. In 2009, the adult literacy index confirmed that women aged between 16 and 65 outpaced their male counterparts in comprehension and interpretation of prose. Approximately 60% of women performed much better compared to 54% of men.
The same study determined the degree of readiness to learn of five years and nine year old boys and girls. The positive results inclined towards girls. They were found to be much better than men in terms of independence, communication skills, attention, self control and behavior. The nine year olds girls scored more in attention compared to their male counterparts. From this early age, it indicates that the probability of success in the girl child is much more pronounced than the boy child. These factors are further replicated later in adult life with considerable differences in graduation rates and career progress if purely based on merit.
Women are better performers in multitasking as compared to men. In the Canadian Statistics study for instance, 38% of full-time female students between the age of 15 and 19 held part time jobs while the percentage was only 28% in male students. Similar differences were noted in those pursuing bachelors and masters degrees. The trend did not affect their performance in any way.
In the 1950s, the rate of bachelor’s degree completion among men slugged considerably. By 1970, only 20% of men and 14% of women finished college. 2010 statistics suggest that women graduation rates are almost doubling at 36% compared to men’s 27%. The trend signifies that men are not putting enough efforts in terms of academic education. Women on the other side attribute decent education and schooling to a better life. Most school girls term education and decent grades as necessary and do everything in their efforts to attain such. Boy’s lack of concern and preparedness puts them on the disadvantaged side as most of them are unable to complete college education.
The growing number of girls’ graduation and completion rates signify the fact that girls should be accorded more consideration in course selection than men. Their rate of completion is unquestionable with better grades thus; academic stakeholders should focus more on the girl child in men-dominated science and technology courses. Women stand a chance to do more excellent things than men have done in the past decades. This will only be possible if only they are accorded the same academic chances and career advancements their male counterparts are accorded. Gender stereotypes associated with men should not stand in the way of educating women. Male students are always deceived by the belief that they can drop out of school and still earn more wages than better educated women.
Consequently, numerous research paper have been published and tries to connect the pieces as to why female students lag behind their male peers in aspects of mathematics and science achievements and attainment of careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. According to National Science Foundation’s Program For Gender Equity paper tilted Science Gender and Afterschool working conference, gender differences in performance are linked to “common, ordinary differences” in mathematics and sciences education and attitudes among boys and girls. It found out that boys and girls perform at similar levels in mathematics and sciences in elementary school. On the contrary, girls perform less poorly as they advance past high school due to decreasing attitudes towards mathematics and sciences. It found that girls have few out-of-school experiences in science fields than boys and as such explains the reduction in the girl’s inclination towards science courses. The study continues to highlight the fact that while girls are a major majority in placement test-takers, in 2001, they were, significantly, underrepresented in mathematics and science fields. Even though the gap has decreased in terms of representation, males still outperform females on high-stakes tests such as SAT and ACT. College representation tends to decrease towards college and girls are less likely to complete undergraduate and graduate STEM degrees.
In Clewell (2010) view, such decreasing trends of girl’s success in STEM-related career is attributed to factors such as; diverse learning styles, strategies, educational environments and participation that promote/ dissuade girls STEM advancement. Also, there are after school program access issues for girls as well as lack of role models and motivation from the society on STEM-related carriers.
This sociological inquiry is beneficial because it will inform policy makers and the society on the importance of educating the girl child and the potential they have in transforming the society. Currently, the US economy depends more than ever on the talents of skilled and high-tech workforce. The nation will face a severe shortage of the workforce and labor if current trends continue to prevail. Locking out women on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics enrollment in colleges, and universities will mean that they will be sidelined in the emerging workforce. Computer related occupations face tremendous shortages of female labor especially those of African American origin.
References
Coley, R. J. (2001). Differences in the gender gap: Comparisons across racial/ethnic groups in education and work. Princeton, NJ: : Educational Testing Services Policy Information Center. .
Jeanne H. Ballantine, J. Z. (2008). Schools and society:a sociological approach to education.
Rosin, H. (2012). The End of Men: And the Rise of Women.
