So the latest uwezo report reveals that the number of girls enrolling in schools is significantly higher than that of boys. Similarly,the report indicates that girls progress through school much faster than boys. Hell, girls are even lately being reported to be performing better than boys in Kenyan schools.You may wonder why I sound unenthused, it’sbecause I am.Fine we have made strides; we are not where we were 10 years ago. The MDGs and the recently adopted Sdgs have really played a massive role in the happening of this, but why am not there yet?I feel like we have barely started.Someone asked me what more are we fighting for as “feminists”, like what’s our relevance now that the scale has tipped.
For starters, the transitioning rate of girls from high school to university is miserably low. The JKUAT filled with boys jokes is just a flag. Keep in mind this is the life changing stage of education. It’s where people take up careers, learn skills (supposed to). It’s atthe university that people become well equipped with the right skills as regards to taking the necessary steps in life.Friends this is the elephant in the room.
Secondly, gender inequality/equality in education becomes more apparent in the latter years of education and more importantly in the workplace .Fine, the many initiatives like free sanitary towels, affirmative action have led to more girls( don’t mistake this with many) securing positions in institutions of higher learning, but really how smooth is the four year ride ?Pregnancies, dropping out, deferring studies, missing classes, name it. In my class alone, we started 25 girls, half the number got pregnant, had a few dropouts, others had to defer their studies. But the same did not happen to the 24 boys in my class. Why? It’s a coincidence?Good luck perhaps?And please am not saying the guys had anything to do with anything or had nothing to do with anything.But this is a clear indication women and boys have different experiences and should never at one point be treated as same. Yes we are all human but our needs and experiences differ.
Few years back after I had received my letter of admission to some prestigious world class university (because it is), I happened to meet some old guy. It was while processing those long tiresome university requirements that I still don’t understand the need forfour yearsdown (remember the chest scans where you had to strip before a stranger! the hell was that for!). Anyway average height, shaky voice, I could spot some great hair too and oh he wore glasses. He could pass for a wise man, until he spoke. He inquired about everything I am up to. It was really an innocent conversation like those you have with that uncle to your friend always around whenever you visit their place. Besides there was no“I wanna be your sponsor” undertone. And then he started attacking me with ‘facts’. He told me 100% of the first 8-4-4 crop of girls got pregnant. Then he went ahead to say how he will not take his female kids to university. That university girls are useless; most men don’t prefer getting Wives who have been through university. It was the way he uttered the words -not so much saying it as spitting at me- that made me feel nauseated, like university is a bad thing. I tell you,it’s just that my dad is crazy about education. I thought about the many girls who just live with parents that don’t care or in an environment where girls education is not valued or where such an unhealthy environment filled with monsters discouraging women against aiming for the sky exists. Its 16 years into the 21stcentury but people are still tapping into humanities biggest fear; ending up alone.Like our role as women is just to get married, pop out kids and live by the rules set by society. And if you go against the grain, is not over yet, hungry sponsors lurking in the horizon. Yes we have a choice to make but honestly here is someone offering you 60000, the only other channel to get this kind of money is HELB, which has so many proceduresand the “bring back our money” headaches afterwardsis not something many people would want to experience (don’t mince my words, just putting myself in Cheryl kitongas shoes)Sigh. Multiple sigh. Point is that memory disgusts me
Friends, societal attitudes and standards are f****d. They are the number one hindrance to women accessing higher education. Then there is Sexual and Reproductive Health. Don’t make pregnancy about girls only!!! You know it’s funny how when a girl gets pregnant all sorts of insults are spewed and blame flared towards her. Like she got herself pregnant!! They are called names stupid, loose. I mean it’s like they become some alien untreatable disease all of a sudden. Just look at the contraceptive advertisements on TV. Trust condoms to be precise. Who do they target? It gets to a point where you wonder if women just inject themselves with sperms. I couldn’t agree more that sexual and reproductive health is at the center of women discrimination and productivity. But again men have a significant role to play in this as well. They also need to be included. We can’t turn a blind eye on their very able ability to father and hunt for a fathering opportunity.
I guess what I am really trying to say is, fine there are notable strides but do they hold water? Do they play a role in transforming society? Will more girls with primary and secondary education and less with higher education affect our economy ? Leadership more? Yet to have our own Hillary Clinton. How about the number of women in boardrooms? and please the ratio of girls to boys is 7:1, so don’t see 5 girls 5boys in a class and think we are at an equilibrium, 30 more girls are somewhere out of class. So, NO! WE ARE NOT THERE YET! Enough said!
ispeakshe 