IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/injoed/v114y2025ics0738059325000343.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

School as sanctuary: The role of gender in post-secondary education transition in Cameroon

Author

Listed:
  • Zhao, Tongtong
  • Smith, Emma

Abstract

This paper considers the extent to which social and family-based gender stereotypes influence educational choices by exploring the educational aspirations of upper secondary school students in Cameroon. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 25 secondary school students in Yaoundé, Cameroon, the findings suggest that while gender stereotyped views shaped students’ perceptions of the family and wider society, their experiences and aspirations for education were formed differently and gendered expectations were less evident. Their views were structured around issues of equality of opportunity and the hope that the benefits and opportunities afforded by education would be shared. The role of the school and its teachers in shaping and nurturing these beliefs is also important and affords students, particularly female students, a form of sanctuary where they are freer to develop their own aspirations for education, away from the gendered norms in which they live their day to day lives.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhao, Tongtong & Smith, Emma, 2025. "School as sanctuary: The role of gender in post-secondary education transition in Cameroon," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:114:y:2025:i:c:s0738059325000343
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103236
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059325000343
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103236?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul Schultz, T., 2002. "Why Governments Should Invest More to Educate Girls," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 207-225, February.
    2. Victor Ombati & Ombati Mokua, 2012. "Gender Inequality in Education in sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Women's Entrepreneurship and Education, Institute of Economic Sciences, issue 3-4, pages 114-136.
    3. Monica Fisher & Violet Nyabaro & Ruth Mendum & Moses Osiru, 2020. "Making it to the PhD: Gender and student performance in sub-Saharan Africa," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Claudia Olivetti & Barbara Petrongolo, 2016. "The Evolution of Gender Gaps in Industrialized Countries," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 8(1), pages 405-434, October.
    5. Dickerson, Andy & McIntosh, Steven & Valente, Christine, 2015. "Do the maths: An analysis of the gender gap in mathematics in Africa," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 1-22.
    6. ., 2023. "Towards sustainable social care and independent living," Chapters, in: The Future of Social Care, chapter 12, pages 172-183, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    7. Claudia Olivetti & Barbara Petrongolo, 2016. "The Evolution of Gender Gaps in Industrialized Countries," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 8(1), pages 405-434, October.
    8. Thomas Breda & Elyès Jouini & Clotilde Napp & Georgia Thebault, 2020. "Gender stereotypes can explain the gender-equality paradox," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 117(49), pages 31063-31069, December.
    9. Xinxin Ma, 2022. "Internet use and gender wage gap: evidence from China," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 56(1), pages 1-17, December.
    10. Itf, 2023. "Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Policy Status Report," International Transport Forum Policy Papers 116, OECD Publishing.
    11. Jieun Lee & Dong-Eun Rhee & Robert Rudolf, 2019. "Teacher Gender, Student Gender, and Primary School Achievement: Evidence from Ten Francophone African Countries," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(4), pages 661-679, April.
    12. Dupraz, Yannick, 2019. "French and British Colonial Legacies in Education: Evidence from the Partition of Cameroon," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 79(3), pages 628-668, September.
    13. Ottavia Brussino & Jody McBrien, 2022. "Gender stereotypes in education: Policies and practices to address gender stereotyping across OECD education systems," OECD Education Working Papers 271, OECD Publishing.
    14. Mohsen A. Moqbel & Amgad S.D. Khaled & Asif Akhtar, 2023. "Leadership practice on economic sustainability," International Journal of Procurement Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 17(1), pages 44-59.
    15. Ma, Mingze, 2022. "Gendered performance evaluation in CEO turnover," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    16. Damghane Oudanou & Idrissa Ouedraogo & Henri Atangana Ondoa, 2024. "Education and gender (in)equality in wage employment in sub‐Saharan Africa," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 36(3), pages 393-407, September.
    17. Eugene Y.-X. Chen, 2023. "Factoring timescale in for sustainable polymer design," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(10), pages 1140-1141, October.
    18. Vargas-Hernández, 2023. "Strategic Organizational Sustainability," Springer Books, in: Satinder Dhiman (ed.), Sustainable Development and Environmental Stewardship, chapter 0, pages 71-94, Springer.
    19. Shah,Manisha & Seager,Jennifer & Montalvao Machado,Joao H. C. & Goldstein,Markus P., 2022. "Two Sides of Gender : Sex, Power, and Adolescence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10072, The World Bank.
    20. Kai Hong & Peter A. Savelyev & Kegon T. K. Tan, 2020. "Understanding the Mechanisms Linking College Education with Longevity," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(3), pages 371-400.
    21. Jane Arnold Lincove, 2008. "Growth, girls’ education, and female labor: a longitudinal analysis," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 41(2), pages 45-68, January-M.
    22. ., 2020. "Understanding classical presuppositions, terminology and concepts," Chapters, in: Classical Economic Theory and the Modern Economy, chapter 5, pages 85-112, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    23. ., 2023. "The role of waqf in sustainable economic development," Chapters, in: Islamic Social Finance, chapter 2, pages 14-34, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    24. Ma, Xinxin, 2022. "Parenthood and the gender wage gap in urban China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    25. Dalvit, Nicolò & Patel, Aseem & Tan, Joanne, 2022. "Intra-firm hierarchies and gender gaps," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    26. Jennica Larrison & Jos C.N. Raadschelders, 2020. "Understanding Migration: The Case for Public Administration," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 37-48, January.
    27. Michael Keith & Eugenie Birch & Nicolas J. A. Buchoud & Maruxa Cardama & William Cobbett & Michael Cohen & Thomas Elmqvist & Jessica Espey & Maarten Hajer & Gunnar Hartmann & Tadashi Matsumoto & Susan, 2023. "A new urban narrative for sustainable development," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(2), pages 115-117, February.
    28. Leonardo Rodrigues & João M. P. Q. Delgado & Adélio Mendes & António G. B. Lima & Ana S. Guimarães, 2023. "Sustainability Assessment of Buildings Indicators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-14, February.
    29. F. B. Li & M. Li & X. Xu & Z. C. Yang & H. Xu & C. K. Jia & K. Li & J. He & B. Li & Hui Wang, 2020. "Understanding colossal barocaloric effects in plastic crystals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.
    30. Oecd, 2022. "Why is the gender ratio of teachers imbalanced?," Education Indicators in Focus 81, OECD Publishing.
    31. Agasisti, Tommaso & Bertoletti, Alice, 2022. "Higher education and economic growth: A longitudinal study of European regions 2000–2017," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    32. ., 2023. "Promoting sustainability," Chapters, in: The Global Challenge, chapter 14, pages 452-486, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    33. Ma, Xinxin, 2022. "Internet use and gender wage gap: evidence from China," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 56, pages 1-15.
    34. Roslilee Ab. Halim & Soo-Cheng Chuah, 2023. "Household Sustainable Consumption Intention," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 15(3), pages 59-66.
    35. Joerg Baten & Michiel de Haas & Elisabeth Kempter & Felix Meier zu Selhausen, 2021. "Educational Gender Inequality in Sub‐Saharan Africa: A Long‐Term Perspective," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 47(3), pages 813-849, September.
    36. Yeyoung Lee & Beliyou Haile & Greg Seymour & Carlo Azzarri, 2021. "The heat never bothered me anyway: Gender‐specific response of agricultural labor to climatic shocks in Tanzania," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(2), pages 732-749, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bjelland, David & Brozovsky, Johannes & Hrynyszyn, Bozena Dorota, 2024. "Systematic review: Upscaling energy retrofitting to the multi-building level," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    2. Sawadogo, Relwendé & Ouoba, Youmanli, 2024. "Do natural resources rents reduce income inequality? A finite mixture of regressions approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    3. Muhammad Qahraman Kakar, 2021. "Ethnic Disparities, Women Education and Empowerment in South Asia," Erudite Ph.D Dissertations, Erudite, number ph21-01 edited by Manon Domingues Dos Santos, December.
    4. Gren, Ing-Marie, 2024. "A trading market for uncertain carbon removal by land use in the EU," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    5. Deng, Yue & Zhou, Yuqian & Hu, Dezhuang, 2023. "Grandparental childcare and female labor market behaviors: Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. L. Rachel Ngai & Barbara Petrongolo, 2017. "Gender Gaps and the Rise of the Service Economy," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 1-44, October.
    7. Michaela Fuchs & Anja Rossen & Antje Weyh & Gabriele Wydra‐Somaggio, 2021. "Where do women earn more than men? Explaining regional differences in the gender pay gap," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(5), pages 1065-1086, November.
    8. Monica Bozzano & Simona Scabrosetti, 2024. "What Drives Gender Gaps in Preferences for Redistribution? New Evidence from the European Social Survey," Working papers 118, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    9. Henrik Kleven & Camille Landais & Johanna Posch & Andreas Steinhauer & Josef Zweimüller, 2024. "Do Family Policies Reduce Gender Inequality? Evidence from 60 Years of Policy Experimentation," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 16(2), pages 110-149, May.
    10. Robert Duval‐Hernández & Lei Fang & L. Rachel Ngai, 2023. "Taxes, subsidies and gender gaps in hours and wages," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(358), pages 373-408, April.
    11. Claudia Olivetti & Eleonora Patacchini & Yves Zenou, 2020. "Mothers, Peers, and Gender-Role Identity," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 18(1), pages 266-301.
    12. Lnu,Anukriti & Herrera-Almanza,Catalina & Karra,Mahesh Venkat, 2022. "Bring a Friend : Strengthening Women’s Social Networks and Reproductive Autonomy in India," Policy Research Working Paper Series 10107, The World Bank.
    13. Hae-ryoung Chun & Inhyung Cho & Youngeun Choi & Sung-il Cho, 2020. "Effects of Emotional Labor Factors and Working Environment on the Risk of Depression in Pink-Collar Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-16, July.
    14. d'Agostino, Giorgio & Patriarca, Fabrizio & Pieroni, Luca & Scarlato, Margherita, 2020. "The perverse effects of hiring credits as a place-based policy: Evidence from Southern Italy," MPRA Paper 102240, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Nolan, Brian & Azzollini, Leo & Breen, Richard, 2022. "From Gender Equality to Household Earnings Equality: the role of Women's Labour Market Outcomes across OECD Countries," INET Oxford Working Papers 2022-13, Institute for New Economic Thinking at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford.
    16. Gioia, Francesca & Morabito, Leo, 2025. "Behind the Screen: Gender Differences in the Creator Economy," IZA Discussion Papers 17666, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Heyman, Fredrik & Norbäck, Pehr-Johan & Persson, Lars, 2017. "Talent, Career Choice and Competition: The Gender Wage Gap at the Top," Working Paper Series 1169, Research Institute of Industrial Economics, revised 06 Mar 2023.
    18. Boneva, Teodora & Golin, Marta & Kaufmann, Katja Maria & Rauh, Christopher, 2022. "Beliefs about Maternal Labor Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 15788, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. Borghorst, Malte & Mulalic, Ismir & van Ommeren, Jos, 2024. "Commuting, gender and children," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    20. NKipchirchir Samuel Ronoh & Marciano Mutiga & Urbanus Mwinzi Ndolo & Bitok Kipkosgei & Nancy Chemutai, 2024. "From Tourists to Advocates: How Environmental Sustainability Practices Inspire Loyalty and Ambassadorial Behavior," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(9), pages 2823-2834, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:injoed:v:114:y:2025:i:c:s0738059325000343. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/international-journal-of-educational-development .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.