Gender equality in non-university education in Spain: A descriptive study (1999-2013)

Abstract

Since the mid-19th century, education has been the sector that women have been using to access to the job market, resulting, since then, in a feminization of the educational profession in Spain. Large political, cultural, social and economic processes has allowed women to access to higher education in a massive way and a gradual expansion of teachers (women) from primary education to all levels of teaching. However, in spite of the high rates of feminization in that profession, there still are gender differences as those seen in the reduction of women as the educational level increases and those seen in the lack of women in positions of power, inter alia. This work puts an emphasis on the descriptive analysis of the composition of the faculty according to gender and its relation with the levels and teaching delivered, the ownership of the centre, the staff, age, the allotted time and other variables referred to the performance of the profession as the motivation or the job satisfaction. The conclusión is that, referred to the Non-University Common Education during the 1999-2013 period (there are only data available for that period), we found significative gender differences which allow us to define some initiatives to reduce the gender inequalities, increase the number of men in the profession and progress to equal opportunities for women in direction positions. Finally, this study tries to be the starting point for further empirical studies about how the composition of the teaching stuff by gender affects the academic results of the students.