GOAL 5 Measuring Progress towards EFA Goal 5: Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015 with a focus ensuring girls’ full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality

Introduction Malaysia adopted a holistic approach in developing human capital in the country which emphasises on building intellectual capacities and mastery of knowledge, developing technological and entrepreneurial skills as well as advocates the inculcation of progressive attitudes, practice of noble values, ethics and morals - a balanced development of the individual. However there is no discrimination against female students in terms of legislation, policy, mechanisms, structures or allocation of resources. Both male and female children have equal access to education and receive education as an individual and not according to the gender

Girls and women in Malaysia have always benefited from education services, and the government continues to play this crucial and supportive role in achieving greater gender equality in the country by improving educational opportunities for girls and women Thus there is no particular gender bias in sending children to schools and has in fact generally achieved gender parity in education in 2005.

So much so that today, women are ahead of men in enrolment and academic achievements at all levels of education. Expanding women’s capacities have allow them to make decisions and influence community change in key areas and has positive impact on some of the most profound current issues.

Indicator for Goal 5 Gender Parity Index for Adult Literacy Gender Parity Index for ECCE, Primary and Secondary Gender Parity Index for Survival Rate to Grade 6 Gender Parity Index for Transtion Rate from Primary to Lower secondary School

Percentage of Female Enrolment in ECCE, Primary and Secondary Percentage of female Enrolment in Voc/Tec Education Percentage of female Teachers in Primary and Secondary School Percentage of female Teachers in Voc/Tec Education

GPI for Adult Literacy Rate

GPI for GER in ECCE, Primary and Secondary

GPI for Survival Rate to Grade 6

GPI for Transition Rate from Primary to Lower Secondary School

Percentage of Female Enrolment

Percentage of Female Enrolment in ECCE, Primary and Secondary

Percentage of Female Enrolment Voc/Tec education

Percentage of Female Teachers

Percentage of Female Teachers in Primary and Secondary

Percentage of Female Teachers in Voc/Tec Education

Issues and Challenges Issues and Challenges Strategies Conventional measures of gender parity in education in Malaysia indicate that participation and educational outcomes in the system are as good as or better for girls. The only area of which female participation rate is disproportionately low is in the technical and engineering field Efforts are being made to address this issue and the Ministry of Education is considering ways to encourage female students in schools to choose elective subjects such as Additional Manipulative Skills at the lower secondary school level, which will hopefully lead them to choose engineering related subjects or courses later on. Malaysia’s participation rate at secondary rate must be improved especially in terms of the growing trend that boys are at disadvantaged compared to girls. The imbalance in the ratio of male to female teachers in Malaysia is brought about by a relatively lower number of males interested to take up teaching as a career. The MOE is increasing its efforts to make the teaching profession more attractive.

TWGs Meeting (21/12) SC Meeting (28/12) Updating the progress report and the data on Goal 5 (Preparing for TWGs & SC Meeting) TWGs Meeting (21/12) SC Meeting (28/12) Workshop 1- Implementation of Action Plan by Goal 5 – Quality Hotel KL Preparing the Proposal for Seminar on Education for Girls Meeting 1- TWGs Meeting 2/10 GOAL 5 -Plan for EFA WEEK Workshop 2- Preparing for EFA WEEK 2010 and Seminar on Education for Girls TWGs Meeting 3/10 GOAL 5 – Preparing the EFA Week Report and Seminar on Education for Girls EFA Week July (12-16/07) October April (20-26/04) (06/04) May (18/05) March (05/03) February (9-11/2) December (14- 18/12 Workshop 2 – Preparation an Action Plan for 2011-2015 Workshop 2 - action plan by TWGs (Goal 1,2,3,4,5 &6) November Preparing for Steering Committee Meeting (3-6/11) EFA MEA Workshop: Identifying And Reaching The Unreached (2011-2015)- Bayu Beach Resort Port Dickson January (19/20/01) (18/01) Proposal for Seminar on Education for Girls Presentation to HHP & MPD GOAL 5 Meeting 1/10–Updating on EFA MEA EFA Activities for 2010 (GOAL 5) Presentation to the Steering Committee Meeting On Action Plan 2011-2015

Conclusion No gender bias in sending children to schools Trend shows boys has a slightly lower participation rate Data shows that girls performed better in educational outcomes Lower no of girls opted for additional manipulative/agricultural skills as well as technical and vocational schools Teaching not a profession of choice for males Women are still underrepresented in key position in MOE despite participation and educational outcomes are as good or better for girls