Assessing Gendered Geographical Inequalities in Junior High School Enrollment and the Role of Education Resources

Background: Education fosters economic growth for individuals, families, communities and nations, yet, many young people lack the opportunity to access basic education. Relatively fewer empirical studies in Sub-Saharan Africa have focused on the association between resource distribution at the district level and gender parity from a spatial perspective. In light of the urgency to eliminate gender disparities in education as stipulated in the the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4), this study seeks to examine the extent to which gender disparities in junior high school enrollment is spatially moderated, and how the distribution of different educational resources (i.e., infrastructural, human, and financial resources) relate to gender parity in different geographical areas.

Methods: This study used data from three sources. The first is Ghana’s 2010 National Population and Housing Census data collected by the Ghana Statistical Service and aggregated at the district level. Additional data for the study were obtained from Ghana’s 2012 district assembly composite budget and the 2012 round of the annual basic school census administered by Ghana’s Ministry of Education. The outcome variable was gender parity index (GPI) was collected in 2012. Six indicators of educational resources, all expressed as per capita figures to take into account the population size of the districts, were examined. We conducted hot-spot analysis based on the Getis-Ord Gi statistic, linear regression, and geographically weighted regression to assess spatial variability in gender parity in junior high school enrollment and its correlates.

Findings: The results reveal rural-urban and north-south variability in gender parity. Results show that educational resources contribute to gender parity. At the national level, educational expenditure, and the number of classrooms, teachers, and available writing places have the strongest and positive implications for girls’ education. These relationships are spatially moderated, such that predominantly rural and northern districts experience the most substantial benefits of educational investments

Conclusion/implications: This paper’s use of advanced spatial analysis techniques allowed for in-depth examination of gender parity and investments in educational resources, and highlights the spatial nuances in what predicts gender disparities in junior high school enrollment. The findings highlight the positive impact that investment in educational resources can have on girls’ educational opportunities. Besides seeking solutions that address the lack of resources at the national level, there is a need for locally-tailored efforts to remove the barriers to equitable distribution of educational resources across gender and socioeconomic groups.