Articles

New Gender Inequalities in Tertiary Institutions of Learning in Selected Universities in Southern Africa

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During the 1990s and the preceding years, various campaigns were launched across several Southern African countries to encourage girls to enroll in school and remain in the education system through to the tertiary level. These efforts followed studies that revealed significant gender inequealities in education, particularly in countries where girls failed to complete school due to factors such as gender discrimination within households—where boys’ education was prioritized—lack of financial resources, early pregnancies, and high dropout rates for various other reasons. In response, several governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) implemented programs aimed at increasing girls’ participation and retention in school through to the tertiary level. These initiatives have, in some countries, yielded positive outcomes, evidenced by increased enrollment of female learners at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

This article focuses on the status of female students in tertiary institutions within selected Southern African universities. It argues that there has been a notable increase in the number of female students in higher education, with some institutions achieving and even surpassing gender parity. In certain universities, this has resulted in a reversal of traditional gender imbalances, where male students now constitute the minority. However, despite these advances, many universities continue to experience gender disparities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines, where female students remain underrepresented. Similarly, female lecturers continue to form a minority within academic staff. Although the general trend across Southern Africa shows an increase in female student enrollment, this has not translated into a proportional increase in the number of female academics. Moreover, there appear to be no deliberate programs aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of male students in institutions where they are now the minority—both in terms of enrollment and graduation rates. Likewise, there is a lack of targeted initiatives to increase the number and visibility of women in academic and management positions within universities, despite their possessing qualifications comparable to those of their male counterparts.

The article contends that the rise in female student enrollment in Southern African universities has introduced new forms of gender inequality, particularly with male students now forming a minority in some institutions, while female underrepresentation in STEM disciplines persists. It is anticipated that the continued increase in female enrollment may, over time, help address disparities in STEM fields. However, if left unaddressed, the declining representation of male students could reach problematic levels, potentially leading to a shortage of male professionals in key sectors. Finally, the gender disparities among students are more pronounced in public universities in Zambia than in private institutions.

Gender Differences in Career Choices and Aspirations among Girls and Boys: A Case of Selected Secondary Schools in Mongu District of Zambia

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Career choice has become a complex science with the advent of post-industrial revolution and job competition. The right career made for pupils entering the professional education is critical having life impact on their professional life and future achievement. However, studies have shown that gender plays a deterministic role in career choices. Although significant progress in achieving parity in education is evident, there are limited studies that examine factors that lead to gender differences in career choice as boys and girls progress on academic ladder. This study examined the differences in career choices and aspirations among girls and boys in selected secondary schools in Mongu District of Western Province, Zambia. The target population for the study comprised all grade 11 and grade 12 pupils accounting for 460 pupils and four career guidance teachers. The study sample was 150 representing 73 boys, 73 girls and 4 career guidance and counselling teachers from the two schools. Interviews and Focus Group Discussions were used as data collection methods. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically while quantitative data was analyzed using frequency distributions and tables. The findings indicated that male pupils have more career ambitions unlike girls due to their upbringing and how they are socialized. Prominent factors that came out as affecting pupil’s career choice were; Parental influence, the nature of acquired results at grade 12, financial constraints, peer pressure and teachers advice. The study highlighted some of the gender stereotypical segregation where one class of only boys was put in a separate class to take subjects that are perceived to be male dominated like Geometrical Science, Woodwork and pure sciences. This separation clearly showed that the school management was not supporting girls to take up such subjects which in turn gives girls no motivation. The study identified, lack of support from school management when it comes to career pathways of pupils, inadequate time allocated for career guidance services and programs, unavailability of career guidance teachers, as well as lack of role models. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the school board should adopt a gender sensitive and responsive policy on career pathways and programs that support boys and girls academic endeavors, as well as organize trainings for career guidance teachers coupled with latest teaching and learning materials such as career guide manuals for pupils.

The Relationship between the Levels of Perspiration (Sweating) on Confidence Level and Productivity of Students Who Live in Bangkok

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Sweating is a physiological mechanism whose function is to cool the body down, but nowadays, it may seem problematic in socializing and working settings, mainly due to stains, odor, and other discomforting sensations that can affect confidence and productivity. This study aims to determine how sweating can impact confidence and productivity levels for students in Bangkok. Based on a comprehensive literature review by 2 experts, an online survey was distributed to students (school, college, university) across Bangkok; the respondents were asked to answer 3 sets of questions about their perspectives on sweat. 345 students (173 male, 162 female, and 10 others) comprised the sample group for this study to observe the correlation between the 2 variables by implementing statistics software. As a result, we discovered a highly significant correlation between sweat levels and productivity with a p-value of 0.010. Our data also show a correlation between gender and confidence; between confidence and age, and between productivity and confidence. However, there was no significant correlation between sweat and confidence.

Personality and Tendency in Deciding to Receive Cosmetic Procedures among Thai Youth in The Bangkok Metropolitan Area

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Facial cosmetic procedures are medical interventions which are designed to enhance or improve the appearance of the face. In Thailand, there are limited studies that explore the intentions of Thai youth to undergo facial cosmetic procedures. The research’s purpose is to investigate the reasons that make Thai youth and teenagers undergo facial cosmetic procedures. The correlation between personality traits and the tendency to undergo cosmetic procedures among Thai youth in the Bangkok Metropolitan area was studied using an online questionnaire based on the personalities under the Big Five Inventory-10, including agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness to experience. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze the data. There are 427 participants in the survey with 70.02% females,an age range of 16-18 and mostly students. The tendency in receiving cosmetic procedures is significantly different between genders among Thai youth. The tendency of receiving cosmetic procedures is significantly different among Thai youth with different amounts of income. Agreeable personalities are significantly different between genders, but there is no correlation between agreeableness and tendency to obtain facial cosmetic procedures, and women are more likely to receive facial cosmetic procedures than men do regardless of agreeableness.

Oil Palm Expansion: Aspects and Gender Roles in Rural Oil Palm Farm Households

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This paper comprehends that commercialization in Indonesia, especially in the plantation sector, has increased every year. In this paper, the focus of this research is on oil palm plantations which are expected to increase every year. One of the actors playing a role in this expansion is farmer households. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and describe gender aspects and roles in oil palm farmer households. This research used qualitative and quantitative approaches. There were 20 informants in the study for qualitative data and 80 respondents for quantitative data. The types of data used in this research were secondary data and primary data. Primary data were obtained through observation, in-depth interviews, and questionnaires, while secondary data were obtained from literature studies and documents related to this paper. The results of this study reveal that this expansion changes and influences gender aspects in oil palm farmer households, such as increasing women’s working time due to entering productive sectors, and the emergence of new sources of economic income for women.

Investigating the Correlation between Frustration and Values with an Emphasis on Gender

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This research paper investigates the correlation between individuals’ reactions to frustration and their values, with an emphasis on sex differences. Frustration is an arbitrary emotional response to obstacles or unmet expectations, although social values carry beliefs and principles that guide behavior within a societal context. Getting a gist of how sex influences these aspects can shed light on societal dynamics and inform interventions aimed at promoting psychological well-being and social harmony. The study undergoes a quantitative approach to the data, through different scales using SPSS to analyze data and gather comprehensive insights. Results reveal new patterns in how individuals of different genders perceive and respond to frustration in relation to their value system, Enlightening the need for gender-sensitive works in addressing emotional regulation and socialization processes.

Work-Family Conflict among Police Personnel’s Job Satisfaction in Special Region of Yogyakarta with Gender as a Moderating Variable (Study in Police Administrative Unit at the County Level)

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Research has shown that both men and women experience work-family conflict, but the nature of the conflict differs based on gender. Women often face conflicting demands between their work and family roles, which can lead to role overload and stress. Men, on the other hand, may experience conflict when their work responsibilities interfere with their family responsibilities, but they may also experience pressure to prioritize work over family due to traditional gender norms and expectations. It is important to recognize and address these gender differences in work-family conflict in order to promote greater work-life balance and job satisfaction for all individuals.

This study aims to examine and analyze the effect of work-family conflict among police personnel’s job satisfaction in Special Region of Yogyakarta, especially at police administrative unit at county level. Moreover, this study focuses on exploring the moderating effect of gender on relationship of work-family conflict with job satisfaction. This quantitative study designed to test the hypothesis. The data for the present study were primary cross-sectional data collected from total of 193 police personnel in Yogyakarta. The result of the study show that work family-conflict have a significant negative effect on job satisfaction. Moreover, gender has no impact significantly on the relationship between work-family conflict with job satisfaction.