According to the extensive data on gender parity collected by Equal Measures 2030, in 2019 Ghana was the 7^th place for all sub-Saharan Africa on gender parity in education, with a score of 61%.

Ghana has seen a rapid transformation and great improvement in girls’ access to education during the last decades. However, despite having reached almost complete gender parity in enrollment in primary and secondary education in 2019, girls are still underrepresented in some subjects, and many still do not complete their education.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the lowest scoring region when it comes to gender parity in education with an overall score of 54% against a global average of 75%. Not only in sub-Saharan Africa, but worldwide, we are still faced with numerous barriers to girls’ education stretching far beyond mere access.

Repeating problematic gender norms in the education system

According to UNESCO’s 2020 Gender Report, girls’ enrollment in school has increased steadily over time. However, there is still great gender disparity in higher levels of education and, for example, in subjects related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) – and Ghana is no exception.

“Teaching and learning materials and resources are heavily biased. They carry a lot of social norms and expectations of girls and boys respectively. In curriculum, we are depicting pictures where professionals like politicians, lawyers and managers, are very dominantly male. If you then look at people who perform caregiving roles, school materials strongly depict females performing domesticated roles. The message is recycled and reinforced to the point where girls begin to see themselves in this light and reinforce the limitations that society has put on them,” says Dinah Adiko.

Changing mindsets by popularizing education for all girls

“It became so compelling that even without understanding why girls should go to school, it became the new norm. It was fashionable to send your girls to school,” says Dinah Adiko with a smile.

In May 2021, GNECC participated in a Girls’ Education Roundtable organized by the British High Commission in the lead up to the Global Education Summit. During the discussion, GNECC advocated for more attention to girls with special needs within the public school space in Ghana.

Girls with special needs find themselves in an intersection of disadvantage and challenges, so focusing on them is key to ensure that the Ghanaian education system can create the best circumstances for all girls to feel safe and confident in school, and continue their education.

How do we change the structures?

The government of Ghana is strongly aware of remaining issues surrounding gender disparity and conditions that affect girls and boys at school. Despite this awareness and the adoption of the Ghana Education Strategy Plan for 2018-2030, where gender equality is given significant attention, there are still struggles with implementation and commitment of all actors to realize the plan’s ambitions.

“Our country is on a journey where we gradually build up gender parity and address the challenges for girls in the education system. This is where civil society and GNECC comes in. GNECC pressures the government to respond, provide opportunities and solutions, and ensure improvement for and girls’ education in Ghana,” says Dinah Adiko.

“If you want to break the glass ceiling, don’t just crack it – break it open.”