Gender Analysis of Department of Education Policies Issued in the National Level

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The National Policy on gender and development will seek to transform inequitable gender relations. This study seeks to review existing Department of Education national policies in promoting gender mainstreaming in education.

METHODS

Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework Organizational Assessment Questionnaire, taken from Philippine Commission on Women, focusing on policy and people was used in this research. It was modified and validated by experts. This tool has two parts: The first part has ten (10) descriptors in order to determine the extent of Department of Education's evidence in interpreting GAD in its policy issuances on the national level for the last three years. The second part includes 13 descriptors that identifies the status of Department of Education's issuances in ensuring employees as gender responsive and supportive of the department's gender mainstreaming efforts. Inter-rater reliability, through the guidance of GAD experts, was used in order to classify policies according to the given descriptors.

RESULTS

Department of Education seriously took the challenge of maximizing institutionalization of GAD in its policies specifically on its order, memorandum and circular issuances from 2015-2017. The number of issuances ofDepartment of Education highlight people as mechanism in GAD mainstreaming. In order to realize GAD integration, assessment of people reveals the inconsistent GAD mainstreaming efforts of the department.

DISCUSSIONS

Generally, Department of Education has promising efforts in GAD mainstreaming. Perhaps, last 2017 may be the year for Department of Education to rise from level 2 to level 3. This should be sustained in the next years to come.