REVIEW OF
MOROCCAN SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS
FOR GENDER
EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS: PROJECT RESULTS
Regional
Director
(HREA)
Introduction
Cultures are not
static, and societies undergo major changes that can promote higher ideals
while still retaining a core national identity.
The new Family Code
made great strides in promoting gender equality through the law. The Mudawanna created Family Courts to
consider issues like marriage, divorce, inheritance and other personal status
issues that had previously been handled by religious clerics, or Aouduls.
In addition, the Code attempted to change the culture around gender by
stating for the first time that both women and men had responsibilities related
to the family. In a groundbreaking
development it eliminated the dictate that men are the head of the
household. This has created an
opportunity for a tremendous cultural shift and revisions within many aspects
of Moroccan life.
After the passage of
the new Family Code, Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) decided to
undertake an 18-month legal reform project to help solidify these changes both
through the training of judges and through review of school textbooks. The project sought to help train the newly
formed Family Court Judges, and, working in partnership with the Ministry of
National Education and Moroccan researchers, also sought to impact the
educational system by recommending reforms to new textbooks with regard to
gender equality and human rights perspectives.
The textbook study is
a groundbreaking initiative which can have tremendous impact in shifting
perceptions of women and girls, shaping cultural heritage not only in
Theoretical Framework:
The
textbook, as an educational tool, occupies a central place in the curriculum.
Textbooks, particularly those in centralized systems where all educational
resources must be approved by the Ministry of Education, contribute to
developing and systematizing an educational view both about what is important
to learn and what values should be passed on to students. Textbooks
are one of the first places - and one of the most formal artifacts - that
demonstrate what educational “norms” are intended to be transmitted in the
classroom.
The central role of the textbook
led HREA to raise questions about its potential role in promoting certain
changes in a society in transition, its function and the role it is supposed to
play in shaping our views. The textbook clearly can be a powerful tool for
influencing ways in which both children and adults think about core human
rights concepts and values, the image of women/girls, and the concept of gender
equality.
The textbook analysis began with
some simple questions: How are women and girls represented in textbooks
designed to promote knowledge acquisition and reading in a range of subjects?
Are the principles of gender equality respected within the textbooks? Were they
integrated into the writing of the textbook? Do stereotypes and negative
judgments still exist in the recently developed textbooks?
HREA’s textbook review
project evaluated both gender equality and human rights perspectives in school
textbooks. The study was conducted in
cooperation with the Moroccan Ministry of National Education, the Central
Committee for Human Rights Citizenry, and in partnership with several women’s
and human rights NGOs.
The Moroccan Ministry of National
Education, under
the framework of pedagogical reform, has been working toward reviewing the textbooks and
privatizing the production of textbooks in order to break the monopoly of using
only one book. This opens up competition
in the field of writing textbooks and also gives educational institutions the
possibility of choosing textbooks which are best suited for their schools
according to criteria that takes into account administrative and organizational
pedagogical characteristics.
The new books have the following
characteristics:
·
For the first time, textbooks bear
the identity of the author or authors,
·
There is more than one textbook
for a given subject at a given level,
·
The authorship of textbooks and
their licensing requires that the textbook should adhere to “the principles of
equity and equality and contribute in rejecting all forms of aggression and
violence.”
Phase One:
Development of Criteria and Training of Reviewers
The review began at
the end of January 2005 with a four-day training for a
group of 26 reviewers. Ultimately, 22
reviewers participated (11 women and 11 men).
They had been recruited through civil society and human rights groups
and they had expressed a desire and commitment to participate in the reading
and review of the textbooks. The reviewers were mostly teachers from a variety
of disciplines, representing different regions of the country but they also
included school inspectors and principals, planners for the Ministry of
Education, a lawyer and the president of the Parents Association. The training took place from
The training workshop
explored both the researchers’ personal perspectives and perceptions of gender
and minority representation, and also trained them on how to look for negative
representations/stereotypes and prejudices in textbooks. The workshop targeted the groups’ individual
and collective perceptions and stereotypes and worked on providing them with
new ideas and techniques in order to deepen their thinking about the texts and
to help them to reflect on the contents of the textbooks and its relation to
the curriculum. Furthermore, the workshop worked to deepen the participants’
knowledge of human rights and citizenry. Aspects of the training focused on CEDAW,
the UDHR, and the new Moroccan Family Code.
The participation of specialists and the use of an interactive
methodology helped to activate trainees and demonstrate how the principles of
the Family Code could be incorporated into the school books and
curriculum.
Finally, the workshop
familiarized the reviewers with the extensive set of criteria which was used to
analyze the textbooks. The criteria were
extremely detailed and were 32 pages in length.
The staff of HREA’s
Phase Two: The
Reading/Review Process
The review phase of
the project lasted for six months and included 50 primary school textbooks. The
list of books included those subjects thought to be closely related to the
transmission of values and concepts related to human rights and gender
equality. They included Arts, Arabic, French, Home Economics, Islamic Studies
and History/Geography textbooks. Five research
groups were formed to cover different geographical regions of
For two weeks (January
30 – February 15), each member of the research team began a period of
preliminarily familiarization with the textbook. The researchers then spent two months
(February 16-April 15) systematically reviewing the textbooks using the amended
criteria. The researchers began the
review process using a specially prepared template provided with the criteria
and recording their initial observations in a standardized format.
For one month, from
April 16 – May 15, the researchers began preparing their initial reports by
filling out the charts in the template and organizing their observations. They
also began interpreting the data/statistics they had collected.
From May 16 – June 15,
the researchers prepared their final reports including a thorough analysis of
the data collected, interpreting it in light of the Moroccan Family Code, the
UDHR, CEDAW, and the criteria. The
researchers drafted recommendations for revisions of each textbook in order to
adapt it and bring it into line with the concepts of gender equality now
recognized in the new Family Code, as well as to bring it into compliance with
Phase Three: Compilation
of Reports and Synthesis for Final Report and Recommendations
Out of 50 textbooks
assigned, HREA received comprehensive reports on 43 textbooks. HREA began a
process of data collection, compilation and synthesis for each of the
individual reports and began compiling trends to develop the final report. The
final report was released in December 2005 at a press conference held by
Abderrahim Sabir, Regional Director of HREA and attended by the Minister of
National Education in
Research
Tools:
HREA developed a set
of tools and techniques to standardize the review criteria and to enable the
participants to identify explicit and implicit stereotypes and prejudices
against women. The researchers worked based on a well established plan, which included
the involvement of their family members and community, the school, and local
NGOs in the reading of the textbooks in order to enlarge the pool of readers
and ensure an accurate and more objective evaluation of each textbook.
HREA worked with the reviewers
to coordinate between members of the same group; to coordinate among the groups
through a list serve; and to coordinate between the groups and the HREA-Maroc
office which followed the work regularly through email communication and
on-site trips.
The textbook review
necessitated the use of techniques and tools that could help to ensure
objectivity, accuracy and the comparison of the quantitative data. Thus, HREA
developed charts to fill out and a template for the criteria. Due to the
quantitative nature of some of the collected data, it was necessary to
calculate precise statistics, such as percentages, in order to be able to deal
with the qualitative part which focused on the analysis and interpretation of
the collected data. The template is a necessary technique for any study that
seeks scientific and accurate results in order to obtain information which can
be used in the analysis and interpretation of the subject under study.
The template provided
in the criteria called for information on the textbook (i.e., its title,
subject, school level, authors (male or female), editors, ISBN) in addition to
the name and profession affiliation of the reviewer. The template included 21
charts; the first four charts attempted to measure the representation of
individuals in the textbooks according to different variables, the fifth to
tenth charts looked for the appearance of the characters in various positions,
while charts 11 to 15 deal with stereotypes according to different variables
(i.e., distribution of roles, adjectives associated with men and women, etc).
Chart 16 measured the representation of efficiency according to age and gender.
Lastly, charts 17 to 21 looked at the presence or absence of certain human
rights principles such as gender equality, freedom, dignity, tolerance, and
solidarity, in the textbooks through both text and image.
Filling out the
template and the different charts was not an easy task since any error or
misunderstanding could have an effect on the ensuing tasks and interpretations.
For this reason, the reviewers were asked to be precise and avoid abstract,
general statements and long sentences in their reports. We opted for
clarification of the aim of each chart to make the work of the researcher
easier when she or he attempted to fill out the template. We came up with
questions aimed at limiting the task of clarifying the objective. We also
developed indicators that could help the researcher in applying the criteria.
Finally, at the end of each chart we made a note that sought to add additional
clarification on the use of the template.
Sample of the
Textbooks Studied:
There are six subjects
considered central for transmitting key values and human rights
principles. These are Arabic, Islamic
Studies, History and Geography, Home Economics, Arts, and French. Within these
subjects, 78 textbooks are officially licensed for use by the Moroccan Ministry
of National Education for elementary and junior high schools.
|
School subjects |
Number of textbooks adopted by the MNE |
Sample of textbooks at the start of the study |
Actual number of books reviewed |
% |
|
Arabic |
21 |
16 |
13 |
62 |
|
Islamic Education |
18 |
14 |
13 |
93 |
|
History an Geography |
9 |
9 |
7 |
78 |
|
Home Economics |
3 |
3 |
3 |
100 |
|
Arts Education |
10 |
2 |
2 |
20 |
|
French |
21 |
6 |
5 |
24 |
|
Total |
78 |
50 |
43 |
55.13 |
The decision to
examine these particular subjects was based on an evaluation of which topics
would impart values. For example, all
Home Economics books were examined because they contained key values related to
gender roles and there were a limited number of books. In contrast, French textbooks were not
ultimately included in the report as it was decided that this subject did not
reflect the core values of Moroccan culture.
While Arts Education is more of a technique-oriented subject than a
values-transmitting topic, we felt that some of the drawings and pictures could
include implicit values and preconceived ideas relevant for gender and human
rights.
Study Results:
The study results can
be broken into a variety of categories.
Only a few will be described here.
Who Authors the Textbooks?
Of the textbooks
reviewed, 239 authors (86%) were male, while only 37 (14%) were female. There are no female textbook authors for
Islamic Studies or for French textbooks used in junior high schools. Of all authors of Arabic textbooks, women do
not exceed 5%.
Which Writers are Included in Textbooks?
On average, 95% of the
writers cited in both elementary and junior high school textbooks were
male. This includes fiction writers,
researchers, poets, scientists, artists, religious scholars and others. There are no female writers at all
represented in Islamic Studies textbooks.
How are Women and Girls Represented in Textbook
Pictures?
The overall percentage
of women and girls represented in pictures or drawings in all textbooks
reviewed vary from between 22%-32% of all pictures. 38% of pictures in Arabic, French and Home
Economics textbooks represented women and girls. The lowest percentages of representation were
in Islamic Studies textbooks in elementary school (15%) and in
History/Geography in junior high (15%).
How are Women and Girls Represented in Text and
Exercises?
The average of women’s
representation is approximately 17% in all texts or exercises. The lowest percentages (16%) were found in
History/Geography, Islamic Studies and Arabic in junior high schools. The highest percentages were found in Arabic
elementary school textbooks (31%), French elementary school textbooks (37%) and
junior high school Home Economics textbooks (37%).
How Do Gender Roles and FunctionsDiffer in
Textbooks?
Jobs Outside the Home: Men are shown in positions of authority in textbooks nearly six times
as often as women (e.g., CEOs, government ministers, parliamentarians,
etc.) Men are shown eight times as often
as women in professions requiring specialized training or skills (such as
scientists, athletes, researchers, etc.)
Household Chores: Of all the pictures of girls and women in
school textbooks, girls and women are represented doing household chores 29% of
the time whereas boys and men are represented doing such chores only 2.3%.
How are Women and Girls Represented in Images
and Text?
The location where men
and women are found in pictures/images is important in defining what or where
is “appropriate” for men and women.
§
Inside the Home:
women are found inside the house 58% of the time in Islamic Studies textbooks
while men are seen inside the house 12% of the time
§
Cultural Events:
women are only portrayed at public cultural events (such as movies, concerts or
theatre) between 0% (Islamic Studies) and 17% (French) with the exception of
Arts Education (which recorded a 50% representation of women at cultural
events).
§
Workplace: women
are represented 8.6% of the time in the workplace, while men are represented
12.6% of the time. Men are, however,
represented in the workplace four times as often as women.
How is Gender and Language Used?
Masculine language and
names are prioritized over feminine language forms. For example, male names are always placed
first in text. Even where the feminine
forms are included, where one boy is included in a group of, for example, 25
girls, the group is addressed in the male form.
Masculine forms are dominant with respect to questions and the
imperative tense.
Are Stereotypical Adjectives Used?
Where women are
discussed, they are characterized by the following words: “ignorance,” “subservience,” “submission,”
“kindness,” “gentleness,” “beauty,” “hesitation,” “illiteracy,” and
“well-groomed.” Where men are
described, they are predominately characterized by words such as intelligent,
“serious,” “harsh,” “strong,” “brave,” “taking initiative,” “leader” and
“authority.”
What Other Kinds of Results are Included in the
Study?
There are a variety of
other examples in the study, including a discussion of how men and women are
represented in schools (access to education); how men and women are shown going
to the doctor (access to healthcare); and how men and women are identified by
name (the right to a name or nationality).
In addition, a variety of broader human rights principles (beyond
gender) were reviewed. These included
the presence and representation of ethnic and religious minorities, people with
disabilities, principles of freedom of expression, freedom of religion, freedom
of association, and tolerance.
What Major Conclusions Were Reached?
The study resulted in
three major conclusions: 1) Women are clearly marginalized in most of the
spheres reviewed; 2) Men are prioritized over women in pictures, drawings and
text; and 3) Gender stereotypes continue to exist and negative characteristics
tend to be widely attributed to women and girls.
Recommendations
At the conclusion of
the review process, the researchers and HREA developed a set of recommendations
which were submitted to the Ministry of National Education to help revise and
improve textbooks in
The Ministry of
National Education should require textbook publishers:
Next Steps and
Lessons Learned
In December 2005, the
report was adopted and endorsed by the Ministry of National Education. HREA-Maroc is drafting a manual to be
published and distributed by the Ministry of National Education on how to
conduct a gender-based analysis of images and text in curricula and
textbooks. The Ministry of National
Education has agreed to a formal partnership with HREA-Maroc for a phase two
review of 60 additional high school textbooks (including science textbooks) and
accompanying curricula. (pending funding) Plans are underway to conduct similar studies
using this replicable model in other countries in the MENA region.
The success of the
textbook review project shows that the partnership between NGOs and
governmental institutions can produce tangible results leading to institutional
change. With the commitment and hard
work of the Ministry of National Education and the continuing commitment of the
NGO community, educators, parents, and students,