Education

Access, Equity and Gender

Module code: X4700E
Level 5
15 credits in autumn semester
Teaching method: Seminar
Assessment modes: Coursework

Access to education is at the heart of development and is central to the Millennium Development Goals. A lack of education reflects and reinforces poverty and access to quality education is a means for poverty reduction. This module will discuss the global agenda of Education for All, access to education, gender's role and relationship with access to education, at all levels including primary, secondary and higher, and the concept of equity.

The module has three overlapping themes – Access, Equity, and Gender – which reveal the policy challenges of delivering education for all. The three themes build upon one another sequentially and the module moves through levels of education from pre school to university. Access to education has increased during the 15 years of the millenium development goals, but the 'For All' aspect has not been met. There are still millions of children who do not complete basic education, and higher education is still dominated by the socially privileged in many low, middle and high-income countries.

Module learning outcomes

• Conceptualise access to education in developing countries
• Understand the way that forms of social exclusion impact upon access to education
• Analyse the relationship between access to education and gendered opportunity structures