Gender discrimination among teaching professionals in Kerala: Study in the context of working conditions

Abstract

Workplace conditions for male and female teaching professionals in primary schools, secondary schools and colleges in Kerala, India were analyzed to assess whether the profession favors men over women, whether male and female teachers differ in their affective orientation toward work and whether they differ in their valuation of workplace conditions. The results showed that moderate levels of discrimination in recruitment characterize the teaching profession. Group mean comparisons utilizing t-Test revealed that, although both male and female teachers reported moderate levels of discrimination, female teachers were significantly higher in reporting discrimination during hiring but equal to men in discrimination in the workplace. Results for gender differences in workplace conditions revealed that female teachers substantially differ from men only in eight of nineteen workplace conditions analyzed. Female teachers were significantly lower in upward communication and task significance (the intrinsic rewards) and in grievance procedures (social support condition) but substantially higher in the stresses of work overload role ambiguity, role conflict, sexual harassment and participation in decision-making. Concerning affective orientations toward work, female teachers were substantially lower in job satisfaction but higher in organizational commitment and intent to stay in the teaching profession. Overall, both male and female teachers were shown to value workplace conditions highly. It is concluded that, although female teachers do not encounter high levels of disadvantages in their jobs, they are not yet equal partners with their male counterparts.