The SchoolsCompared.com Interview. ‘Bob Dylan, The Future of Education and Not Trading Away Kindness for Cynicism.’ Dr Saima Rana On The Record.

~

“The Glass Elevator and The World Cup”

~

SchoolsCompared.com: Commentators are increasingly calling out exams because they favour boys, who tend to study objective subjects, including the Sciences and Mathematics, rather than girls, who more often study more subjective subjects in the Arts and Social Sciences. Have the pandemic years taught us that the British system would be fairer if we moved to a system that included, at least, a blend of coursework and exams given the current system seems weighted against girls?

Dr Saima Rana, CEO/Principal, GEMS World Academy; Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education; and, Chief Education Ambassador, The Varkey Foundation:

Yes. Most studies have shown that exams favour boys rather than girls. Despite that, girls continue to outperform boys in GCSE exams and in the UK, for example, girls outperformed boys in maths and economics GCSEs. Until 2009, girls had outperformed boys in maths for 20 years. It was when the coursework element was removed that this was reversed. But girls are once more outperforming the boys. At A level, boys did better in 2017 than girls and again this was put down to a radical change in the exams, which stripped out coursework. But we should note that the current exam success by girls shows that they can do well even in non-coursework exams and research at Cambridge Assessment has shown that girls can do better than boys in exams of two hours duration – they can sustain concentration better. 

It’s clear that there are gender biases in forms of exam taken but the idea that the only gender biases facing students are in the form of the exam taken is to ignore widespread biases in cultures both in and out of schools that favour boys. There are significant other biases that make girls face huge barriers – if you look at global figures you can see that a huge number of girls aren’t even allowed into schools after 14 – sometimes they’re never allowed – because of traditions that see girls and women as subordinate to boys and men. I think ignoring statistics that show that in a huge variety of ways girls are treated as second class citizens is unhelpful to grappling with the way we can ensure that our assessment systems are fair to all children – girls as well as boys. The issue of coursework shouldn’t be decided on grounds of gender alone but it’s important.

Assessment experts like Dylan Wiliam and Paul Black (and many, many others) have shown that to be fair an assessment must be consistent AND valid – by which we mean that the exam really does examine what it says its examining (think of an exam of maths that relies on good levels of English – that wouldn’t be a valid exam because you might fail not because of maths ability but because of your language ability). Coursework, when constructed correctly, is thought to be able to offer more valid tests than non-coursework and that should also be an important consideration when choosing whether to introduce coursework. 

 

SchoolsCompared.com: Do you think that whilst the world is getting better for women, men are increasingly lost. Their role as bread winners, all the old ways of thinking about what matters, are breaking down. What exactly is the point of men? All the qualities associated with men – are any of them worth saving? How do we give boys role models to work through their future?

Dr Saima Rana, CEO/Principal, GEMS World Academy; Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education; and, Chief Education Ambassador, The Varkey Foundation:

I fundamentally disagree with this whole line of thinking.

What is it that people are expressing when they say this? That a life where one isn’t from birth privileged and entitled to be the boss is worthless? Hello! Welcome to the world of most women throughout history! They’ve been brought up by patriarchal cultures everywhere to believe that that they can’t be breadwinners no matter how hard they try, no matter how smart they might be, no matter what they might dream of. And what are they traditionally told to do?  Serve the boys and men. Do what the boys and men tell them to do. (No matter what these boys and men are like).

Some qualities associated with men should go! Sexism, machismo, the sorts of attitudes that suppose women should be second class citizens compared to them – these should go. Of course, they should. But to say that because women are beginning to succeed men are going to be lost is an insult to those men and boys who aren’t sexist, who have values that aren’t fixed on ensuring that gender bias organises all they do. That’s why at GEMS we recognise biases and actively ensure that we educate emotions so that biases against any group – including gender groups – is abhorrent, that generosity, sharing, kindness and respect are universalised. There are many positive aptitudes and values boys have which they share with girls – honesty, tenacity, justice, hard work, empathy, intellectual curiosity, creativity, kindness, bravery and so forth – and these are things that make a life worthwhile.

I think it’s important to see that what’s happening is not that boys and men are becoming irrelevant but that a traditional injustice is being eroded and that this is positive – and not just for women but for men too. The education of the whole person – intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and physically – is an education that opens up whole new horizons of opportunities for a thriving good life for all genders. This isn’t something to lament but is something we should celebrate.

Finally, I want to say that one of the reasons I dislike this sort of argument is that it is often used by people who want to resist women’s emancipation, girls education, equal opportunities and so forth. It’s rarely used as a neutral statement of fact but as a reason for keeping girls and women in their traditional place. It’s an argument coming from a toxic masculinity that has no place anywhere. At GEMS, we fundamentally disagree with that because we know that equality and respect are bedrocks of a just and thriving society, without which a life can’t be fully fulfilled.   

Glass structures that diminish lives must be broken. Schools and education must be centre stage in tacking inequality in all its forms, says Dr Saima Rana.

SchoolsCompared.com: Has the glass ceiling been broken for girls and women in society? Will it ever be? How?

Dr Saima Rana, CEO/Principal, GEMS World Academy; Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education; and, Chief Education Ambassador, The Varkey Foundation:

Sadly, not yet but despite setbacks and resistance women are better off now than they have been. 

 It’s heartening to observe women ascending to middle and supervisory management roles, yet the enduring reality of the glass ceiling casts a shadow over these achievements. One of the significant issues related to the glass ceiling is the Glass Cliff.

What is this? It’s when the successfully promoted woman leader stands as the solitary woman amid overwhelmingly male colleagues in her leadership position. This can be both empowering and challenging. Women tend to work in jobs that give them low visibility and where there are women colleagues. Once they push through the glass ceiling, they often find themselves with few or no women colleagues, and in a position of high visibility which is often precarious too. Many industries confine women to roles that lack the visibility and risk associated with their male counterparts and this can contribute to difficulties getting through the glass ceiling and then remaining there.

Initiatives like the European Union’s “gender mainstreaming” and the World Economic Forum’s “Global Gender Gap Report” underscore the urgency of addressing disparities, fostering unity, and advocating for change on a global scale. But despite this increased awareness of the issues around gender imbalances the persistence of stereotypes that cast doubt on women’s capabilities is a frustration I often encounter. These stereotypes manifest in micro-aggressions that impact everything from our interactions to opportunities for advancement.

The glass ceiling’s resistance and the phenomenon of the glass cliff even when the ceiling is broken need also to be understood alongside what has been called ‘the glass elevator’ – the phenomenon where men can rise effortlessly to leadership roles. To eliminate all three glass structures – the ceiling, the cliff, and the elevator – requires a reimagining of organisational structures and mindsets.

That’s what we’re doing in our GEMS schools. We are integrating discussions about gender biases and inequalities into our curriculum to equip our students with a profound understanding of these challenges. This awareness serves as the foundation for change, fostering open dialogues and thought-provoking workshops that encourage critical analysis and the questioning of societal norms.

Empowerment is the cornerstone of our efforts. Leadership programmes are inclusive, inviting all students, irrespective of their gender, to embrace leadership roles. Alongside honing leadership skills, we spotlight the significance of risk-taking for women. We encourage them to seize opportunities and contribute boldly. Inclusivity extends to our hiring and promotion procedures. Ensuring that our staff and leadership positions reflect the diverse tapestry of our community is pivotal. Transparent evaluation criteria that underscore competencies and skills over traditional gender assumptions ensure an equitable playing field.

We’ve expanded our perspective on extracurricular activities to challenge stereotypes that confine certain activities to specific genders. We encourage participation from all genders, thereby reshaping norms and fostering a culture of collaboration. Concurrently, we emphasise networking skills, particularly among our girls, highlighting the power of connections and collaborations in achieving their aspirations.

Addressing sexist micro-aggressions and male entitlement is a crucial step in our journey. Fostering a culture of respect and empathy counters these behaviours, fostering an environment where every individual feels valued. Our unwavering stance against any form of bullying fortifies our commitment to creating a secure, inclusive space. Recognising the diverse responsibilities that our students and staff manage and offering flexible schedules is essential. This support underscores our dedication to holistic growth and well-being. Universal accessibility to leadership training is key. To counter male entitlement, it’s essential to instill strategies that promote humility and respect among our male students, encouraging them to understand the perspectives and contributions of others nurtures an environment of equality. Parents are instrumental partners in this. Encouraging dialogues at home about gender equality and dismantling male entitlement nurtures an ecosystem that amplifies our efforts within and beyond school premises.

Continuous evaluation remains the bedrock of progress. Ensuring that our policies and practices align with the vision of gender equality necessitates vigilance and adaptability. Collaboration with external organisations enriches our collective endeavours. Engaging with resources, workshops, and mentorship opportunities offered by these entities enriches our perspectives and enhances our approach.

SchoolsCompared.com: How can education better represent the needs of girls better? How can we ensure gender equality in schools so the needs of both boys and girls are met? What do you do in your school to make the lives of your girls better?

Dr Saima Rana, CEO/Principal, GEMS World Academy; Chief Education Officer, GEMS Education; and, Chief Education Ambassador, The Varkey Foundation:

Well, I have given you some of the answer above. It’s basically a two-edged strategy – make the girls more empowered and make the boys less entitled. I think the recent global focus around the Women’s World Cup has highlighted what is possible for women and what is wrong with sexism. In my school I have created a staff body of powerful, respectful, talented people of both genders. I am a woman, and my senior leadership team is a team of both men and women educational experts working together with confidence, boldness, and incredible vision to make the school a haven for every single student in it. I think that’s the key: once you start to think about all students as equally entitled then you don’t have the issue of just some being so. If all students can get an outstanding education and can have their horizons expanded so that constraints placed on them by unfair biases are removed, then I think what they’re getting is an outstanding experience that will serve them well in the future. We have to teach our girls to be tough, resilient, able to deal with micro aggression and take risks. We must make them smart enough to blast through the cracked glass ceiling and then remain in post without going near the glass cliff edge – and we must ensure that our equally smart, tough, resilient boys don’t rely on the glass elevator to slide them unfairly to the top.

Return to contents page: click here.

NEXT Chapter: Building Schools in Dubai, Justice and Giving Back