I was stunned when a final-year female economics student I interviewed posed a striking question that remains unanswered. She said, “I have read my textbooks, especially on the history of economic thoughts, and I have observed that female economists are missing. I have seen Maynard Keynes, David Ricardo, Amartya Sen, Adam Smith — but where are the female thought leaders? Their presence would have been a strong motivating factor for female students like me, but sadly, they are lacking.”
Often times, things seem normal not because they are meant to be that way, but because no one has questioned the norms behind them. This student raised a question I had never heard before. She raised the bar, leaving my colleagues and I deep in thought. As if she opened the door to our minds, it became even clearer that the only female role model mentioned by other interviewees was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the first woman to lead the World Trade Organization, with no one mentioning any female lecturer. While Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been a huge motivation for aspiring females in economics, the absence of many female thought leaders remains glaring.
Without doubt, few women who have made significant strides, just like Esther Duflo, exist but are often unheard of. Sadly, this issue of limited female representation spans beyond economics into other fields as well.
Let girls of today find strength in the women who lead the way.
Just as Socrates taught Plato in philosophy and Niels Bohr mentored Werner Heisenberg in physics, every girl needs a female role model to propel her in any career she chooses. These role models do not appear out of nowhere. They emerge through people who inspire and prepare them for the future: their female teachers. Findings from Uganda’s GEARR-ing Up for Success After School Project show that girls who interacted with senior female teachers had a 264 percent higher likelihood of improving their reading and writing abilities. They also felt safer and were more inclined to enroll in and remain in school, thanks to having female role models to aspire to.
As of 2021, the percentage of female teachers in African primary schools was 51.36 percent, dropping to 37.06 percent in secondary schools and 32.64 percent in tertiary institutions. This sharp decline from primary to tertiary levels underscores the urgent need for more female educators in higher institutions, who contribute to the development of the intellectual capacity of our future leaders. Bringing it down to Nigeria, the situation is worse, where female academic staff make up only 25.97 percent of tertiary institutions, compared to 74.03 percent male lecturers.
The gender disparity suppresses women’s untapped potential and demotivates women and girls exploring career opportunities of their choice, as revealed through interviews conducted in various schools. Qualification also remains a barrier to female representation in academia, with only 33.98 percent of female students graduating from science disciplines, 38.21 percent from medicine, 57.69 percent from law, 59 percent from education, and a mere 7.21 percent from engineering. These numbers reveal a troubling trend. The very pipeline designed to prepare women for academic careers narrows sharply where it matters most.
Why Female Teachers are at the Heart of Education Reform
Advocating for more female teachers goes beyond gender equity. It is about the future of girls. Female teachers are not only role models who inspire and challenge societal norms, but they also create safe, supportive classrooms where students feel valued and heard. Such environments boost engagement and shield girls from gender-based harassment, empowering them to stay in school and thrive. Moreover, in some communities, families are more likely to send girls to school when female teachers are present, helping to overcome social and cultural barriers to girls’ education. Female teachers are not just educators; they are gatekeepers to a future where every girl learns, thrives, and leads. To improve their retention, essential support structures must be put in place.
What Female Teachers Need to Thrive
For female teachers to thrive and even become thought leaders in their field, several key factors are essential:
- Scholarships and Financial Support: Teachers must first be educated themselves. Financial barriers often keep enthusiastic females out of school. To close this gap, funds must be available, especially for women entering male-dominated fields like STEM and education. Women willing to undertake research should also receive grants and incentives.
- Mentorship and Leadership Development: The frustration of lacking female thought leaders can be addressed by women already in these fields mentoring the next generation and guiding them to seize available opportunities.
- Safe and Inclusive Work Environments: Women need protection before they can support others. Ensuring female teachers work in safe, inclusive spaces enhances well-being and support. Flexible policies like adjustable hours and parental leave help balance work and life, boosting retention and career growth.
- Recognition and Reward Systems: Women are not invisible; they deserve to be celebrated. Recognizing female teachers’ achievements through awards, public acknowledgment, and career advancement motivates them and challenges gender biases. Celebrating their contributions highlights their importance as role models.
Empowering female educators at all levels is not merely a matter of fairness. It is the catalyst for a future where women lead, innovate, and inspire change. By uplifting these trailblazers, we ignite the dreams of generations to come, unlocking boundless potential for greatness.
Adanna Omeye is a research economist at Policy Innovation Centre.
Photo by Gabriel via Unsplash.