Gender disparities in low- and middle-income countries (LMCs) have significantly reduced over the years, with much effort being attributed to the Education for All (EFA) as well as other global, regional, and national initiatives. However, despite the promising trends in girls’ enrollment, access to and completion rates in education at primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels remain lower than those of boys.
This paper utilizes Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to examine issues of gender in education and highlight how gender inequalities are reproduced through socio-cultural practices, gender norms, stereotypes. and policies. Four key findings are presented, that is 1) multifaceted interventions are required to address systematic barriers that hinder equity in education, 2) gender disparities persist in poor households and marginalized communities, 3) current trends reveal worse gender disparity in favor of boys at the secondary level, and 4) gender disparities persist at post-secondary levels and has multiple knock-on effects. Based on evidence gathered, the study makes four recommendations to bridge the gender gap.