Institutionalizing Teaching and Non-Teaching Gender Equality to Improve the Services in State Universities and Colleges of the Philippines

Abstract

The study aimed to assess gender equality among teaching and non-teaching employees focusing on: rights, duties, benefits/privileges and opportunities. It also determines how the gender equality affects the performance and services rendered by the institution in terms of student performance in the board examinations. The descriptive method was employed using validated questionnaire and conducting interview to a sample of 432 employees of Isabela State University System. Data gathered were analyzed through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, frequency counts, percentage, weighted mean and f-test. Gender equality as to rights reveal that the respondents strongly agree that husbands and wives deserve equal respect by the family members; parents should give their sons and daughters equal access to education; and agree that husbands and wives should have equal roles in decisions on investments and spending money. As to duties, they agree that loyalty of both spouses should be observed; and must have equal responsibility in providing the needs of the family. In terms of benefits and privileges, they strongly agree that husbands and wives should be provided with equal medical care including their sons and daughters; they agree that men and women should have equal chance for promotion at work; accomplishment of both spouses must be given due recognition; parents should provide daughters with as much inheritance as sons, and as much authority over the use of the inherited funds. As to opportunities, they agree that both sexes should have equal opportunities to become leaders and heads of offices and organizations; employment opportunities are open for both; and to be engaged in income generating activities; social and recreational activities. In lieu of the data from the civil service commission, the career services which is composed of the executive of teaching and non-teaching employees, the male dominated the female employees with a slight difference of 66 or 6% (66 out of 1,104). This result will lead to development of both sexes; and economic stability of the society will be attained which means to institutionalize the gender equality. Thus, advocacy for gender equality should be sustained and strengthened and institutionalized.