Gender, Social Class and Technical Education

Abstract

Education via Schools helps in the socialisation process and the overall training of individuals (male/female) for personal and societal development. The school as an agent of socialisation and education is meant to cater for all irrespective of sex. The attitude of girls and women to Technical Education can to a large extent be determined by socio-economic status of their parents. This paper examines critically how gender and social class are significant factors or variables in the choice of Technical subjects for study. Examination of problems of women in Technical Education suggests that socio-economic, cultural, gender and class are powerful impediments which prevent women from patronising Technical Education courses. These are critically analysed and exemplified by a discussion on some research findings on tire attitude of girls and women to Technical Education vis-a-vis the perceptions of parents about women in technology. The paper concludes by providing some suggestions for improvement towards the process of destreotyping the girls' educational aspirations. Among which include. educating parents and women about the confining effects of sex stereotyping and also provision of more job opportunities for women 10 enable them lake new roles in the society.