Attitude Towards Girls’ Education

The indicator uses a set of statements to assess the extent to which parents and/or caregivers (this could also extend to community leaders/members, authorities or children) are supportive of girls’ education. The statements cover the main reasons why caregivers do not send or stop sending their daughters to a school or learning space. Supportive attitudes of parents or caregivers are crucial for improving girls’ education and contributing to their empowerment.

1) Collect data on parent/caregiver attitudes towards education by conducting individual interviews with a representative sample of the target group members.

RECOMMENDED SURVEY QUESTIONS (Q) AND POSSIBLE ANSWERS (A)

Introduction: Now I am going to read different statements. Please tell me how you feel about each statement on a scale of agreement (strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree). [Alternatively, use a visual scale so respondents can show how they feel i.e. “show me on this scale how you feel about each statement [show the scale provided at the bottom of this page and explain how it works, including the meaning of each face].”] There are no right or wrong answers – please answer according to your feelings about each statement.

Q1: Which of these four responses [strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree [or faces [point to the scale]] best represents your feelings about the following statement? ‘It is important that boys have more education than girls.’

A1: strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree

Q2: Which of these four responses [strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree [or faces [point to the scale]] best represents your feelings about the following statement? ‘When girls marry, they should keep going to school, even if they have to take care of their husband and household.’

A2: strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree

Q3: Which of these four responses [strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree [or faces [point to the scale]] best represents your feelings about the following statement? ‘Daughters should go to school only if they are not needed to help at home.'

A3: strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree

Q4: Which of these four responses [strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree [or faces [point to the scale]] best represents your feelings about the following statement? ‘Families should spend the same amount of money on educating their daughters as they spend on educating their sons.’

A4: strongly agree / somewhat agree / somewhat disagree / strongly disagree

2) If using the recommended survey questions, either provide the parents/caregivers with the options provided or use a visual scale (see Additional Guidance below). This is particularly useful for low literacy parents/caregivers or those with specific types of disabilities. Make sure to also provide a ‘don’t know’ response if using the visual scale (i.e. either verbally or using non-verbal cues i.e. a shrug).

3) If using the recommended survey questions, take the following steps to calculate the indicator’s value:

1. For Q1 and Q3, give 1 point if the interviewee responded “slightly disagree” and 2 points if the interviewee responded “strongly disagree”. For Q2 and Q4, give 1 point if the interviewee responded “slightly agree” and 2 points if the interviewee responded “strongly agree”.
2. Count the total number of points per respondent (The maximum points that can be given is 8)
3. After all the interviews have been scored, count the number of respondents who scored at least 4 points (considered to be supportive of girls’ education).
4. Divide the number of respondents who scored at least 4 points by the total number of respondents and multiply the result by 100 to get the percentage of the targeted group who are supportive of girls’ education.

Disaggregation of the data can be done by the parents or caregivers by age group, gender, ethnicity, mother tongue, wealth quintile, disability, displacement status and/or other specific vulnerable groups, as relevant. Disaggregation of their children’s data can be done by age group, gender, displacement status (as relevant) and disability.

Disaggregation of data by disability type should use the Washington Group Short Set on Functioning (or for actions with specialised responses to disabilities use the complete WG/UNICEF Child Functioning Module) or equivalent.

1) There are two options for target groups to respond to the survey questions – verbally or through the visual scale (linked below). Use whichever is most appropriate in the context or give respondents the option to choose which they prefer to use. The visual scale is used to make it easier for the respondent to choose the response that best represents her/his feelings.

2) Information provided through this indicator can be culturally sensitive in some contexts. Ensure that appropriate measures are taken to Do No Harm during data collection.

3) Related indicators:

     INEE

        - 2.1 Net attendance rate

     ECHO

        - number of girls and boys enrolled in [optional: and retained in] [select: formal/non-formal] education in a given school year, NFE cycle or project period (see Enrolment Indicator)

     Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

        - 4.2.2 Participation rate in organized learning (one year before the official primary entry age), by sex

        - 4.3.1 Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, by sex

     IndiKit

        - % of members of the targeted communities who report that the most vulnerable and in-need population receives assistance (see Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups indicator)

        - % of [specify the target group] with a favourable attitude towards [specify the behaviour] (see Favourable Attitude indicator)

        - % of [specify the target group] who believe that the majority of their friends and community members currently [specify the behaviour] (see Perceived Social Norms indicator)

        - % of [specify the target group] with attitudes supportive of gender equality (see Attitudes Towards Gender Equality indicator)