Gender gap widest in higher education — SIGI

AMMAN – Nearly 1.4 million females are enrolled in educational institutions in Jordan, but the gender gap is the widest in higher education, the Sisterhood Is Global Institute (SIGI) said on Monday. 

Some 48.9 per cent of the 2,850,667 students enrolled in educational facilities in Jordan are females, according to the 2015 national census, SIGI said in a statement. 

Of the 1.394 million female students enrolled in educational facilities in Jordan, 71.1 per cent are registered in schools, SIGI said. 

Some 978,759 females are in elementary education, 140,841 are in secondary school, while 108,202 are undergraduate students. Only 5,344 are studying for master’s degrees, and 1,129 are doctoral students, the institute said. 

The higher the educational stage, the lower the participation of women, SIGI found.

Female students account for 41 per cent of higher diploma (two years after the first degree) students, 43.9 per cent of students studying for master’s degrees and 29.7 per cent of PhD candidates.

SIGI said female students must be empowered in their communities, their potential and skills must be supported and they must be given equal opportunities. 

This requires motivating and encouraging females to enrol in higher education and in specialities that are in demand on the market, so they can find jobs after graduation, SIGI said.

The institute noted that unemployment among female graduates has reached 76 per cent.