Gender & Caste Oppression Faced By Dalit Female Teacher In Nepalese School

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GENDER AND CASTE OPPRESSION FACED BY A DALIT FEMALE TEACHER IN NEPALESE SCHOOL: A CASE OF BIMALA PARIWAR Backgrounds of the study This study is prepared for the partial fulfillment of Master in Philosophy on the subject Gender Education and Development. This Case Study is carried out in the one of the school of Tanahun district. Here the case is related to Bimala Pariwar (name changed). This study tried to explore the problems faced by her during the profession, the way she tackled to solve the problems she faced in her teaching life and I have tried to find out the gender issues from the study of this cases and tried to relate this case to the gender education and development. There are five teachers in the school. Among them one is female from Dalit family and four are male. Among four male teachers three are from so called high caste i.e. two gentle men from Brahmin and one from Kshetriya and one from Newar community. The school seems very well practiced in the form of inclusion. The community of school is mixed having various caste peoples such as Brahmin, Kshetriya, Newar, Gurung, Tamang, Damai, Kami, Bhote and Kumal. Her Choice of Teaching Profession to be a Role Model She was about 3 years old; there was a lady teacher nearby her house, who used to teacher in the school that situated in the central of her village. She had always followed her to go to school because the lady teacher lets her students to sing and dance. So that she like very much to go school. And, she impressed by the classroom activities of her teacher and she started to copy the activities of the lady teacher. When she formally joints the school then the female teacher made her class monitor. Being class monitor she got the chance to rehearsal the role of teacher in the classroom. Ministry of Education lunched a pre-service teacher training program for those female who are from the marginalized groups. As being a female of marginalized and oppressed caste there were the chance to select for the scholarship so that she submitted the application for the scholarship program. She faced an interview. She selected for the scholarship program. Then went to the head quarter of Tanahun district and started to study in the teacher training center. She finished her 10 months pre-service teacher training program. From these two incidents she was interested to be a teacher. She knew that teacher is a recognized profession and she thought that she would be able to maintain the expense of house hold. So she is very interested to be a teacher. Similarly, she responded that she came to teaching profession when there are no options for where elsewhere. Long holidays, opportunity to stay close to the home, job security, opportunity that teaching provided to run family life, short working hours were also

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equally important factors for her selecting teaching profession. Social higher status and opportunity for self advancement is another cause for to join teaching service. She Impressed from her Teacher There was a female teacher in the school from where she passed the school level education. The female teacher always inspires the girl students to study hard and to be a good teacher after their study. The female teacher was well known lady in the village and she has honorable status in the village. From the female teacher she is very impressed so that she decided to be a teacher and committed to be a role model in the Dalit community. The Gender and Caste Oppression in the Profession Gender discrimination shall be defined as any behaviors, actions, or policies which adversely affect women due to disparate treatment, disparate impact, or the creation of a hostile or intimidating work or learning environment. Sexual harassment, a form of gender discrimination, shall be defined as unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (1) submission to such conduct is made either or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's training or professional position, (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for professional decisions affecting such individual, or (3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work/learning performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment (http://www.amwa-doc.org). According to Bista (2003) educational research in Nepal has not examined the issue of sexual harassment yet. As such, what constitutes sexual harassment in the context of Nepal has not been defined properly (p. 121). In this context a list of acts that are believed to be sexually offensive or unacceptable was prepared by reviewing the available western literature by him. I have maintained the lists in the coming section of this study. Sexual harassment and gender discrimination fundamentally preclude the objectives of schools via multiple routes. Examples are: 

Interference with the quality of learning,

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Interference with both quality of the practice of medincine and the performance of

other professional activities, 

Negative impact on morale,

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Interference with opportunities for promotion and career development,

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Negative impact on women's physical and psychological well-being,

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Negative impact on patient care and doctor/patient relationships.

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Interference with opportunities to assume leadership positions within medicine.

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Gender equality can mean different things to different people. I asked her to define the meaning of gender equality in the context of education and schooling. She responded that treating boys and girls equally. She further added creating an opportunity where boys and girls have the same opportunity to learn. Taking my exploration of gender issues in schools a bit further, I asked her if there existed gender discrimination in her school in any form. Firstly, she answered that she is not facing any gender discrimination. The sensitivity involved in the notion of gender discrimination and cultural sanctions where matters involving sex can or cannot be discussed may, in part, prompted she not to be open. Given that it is only an exploratory study, it should not be interpreted that there is no gender discrimination in schools. She faced various problems to enter this profession. Her husband's mother was not in the favor of her teaching profession. She had the thinking that if she joins to school there might have the lacking of doing house hold working. Her husband was unemployment so he was also thinking that it would be better that if he has a job before her wife. So the whole family members of her house seem against her joining teaching profession. When the notice was published for the application to the post of female teacher. The headmaster started to seek a lady who works as a female teacher from the higher caste. The head teacher torn the notice that was published on the notice board of the school. She has noticed about the publication of notice through the staff of the school. Then she submitted the application for the post. Another female candidate from higher caste also submitted application. The candidate from higher caste was completed her Intermediate degree from Faculty of Education. There was a compulsory provision of positive affirmation action to the female candidates who has completed 10 months teacher training program with scholarship. But the selection committee did not respond to this provision. They both appeared in the selection examination but she could not succeed. The Dalit Utpidit Uthan Mancha recognized that I have been victim of the oppression from the so called higher caste. The Dalit Utpidit Mancha complained to the District Education Office then the DEO requested her to visit to District Education Office. There were representatives Dalit, she, the Head Master of concerning school, School Supervisor, Resource Persons and representatives of human rights. A discussion was held for a longtime. It takes two days to decide regarding to this case. Finally, the decision was done in the favour of her. She became the teacher of that school where she is working up to date.

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Now, she is working as a teacher in the school. She is happy in one hand because she got the chance to teach in the school and she is being a role model in her society, on the other hand she is facing harassment sometimes. At the beginning some of the students from higher caste called her Damini teacher. Why she comes her without doing sewing profession. She kept closed her mouth expecting that the day will come when the entire human will be treated equally. As the concepts of purity (chokho) and impurity (asuddha) are the central points when we discuss regarding Dalit and so called high caste. When she had joined the school, she felt that the teacher were not happy form her selection as a teacher. They did not express about it directly but she felt from their behavior. The teachers used to go to take Tiffin separately. From this behavior she felt that the so called higher caste teachers hated her. `The students from Brahmin and Kshetriya family used to stay in the front bench of the class. When she started to teach at that class the students stated to stay at the last seats of the class because they felt that they should be come to touch with Damini teacher. Some of the Dalit students noticed her about this phenomenon. From this phenomenon she came to know that she is facing the problems of caste discrimination. Her fellow teachers from the so called higher caste were not too closed to her but the teacher from Newar community seemed compassionate and always tried to be closed to her. She was happy with him because she has had a closed friend. One day the Newar teacher tried to pat on her shoulder when they were discussing on a specific subject matter. She opposed such behavior, at that moment the Newar fellow tried to caught her hand. She came to know that he is trying to cheat her. That was the examples of the harassment she faced in her profession. Sometimes they go to the gathering of guardians. The male guardian of her student did not response to her but the guardians always concerned to the male and high caste teachers. She sometimes thought that why they were ignoring her. She started to analyses the situation relating to gender and caste issues then she came into conclusion that she is facing double oppression i.e. gender oppression and caste oppression. The students in her school those from Dalit community are very glad due to her appointment as a teacher and their guardians are also happy. They feel that she should care their children and then their children will do better than before. The girls of the school are starting to consult to her. She heard from the Dalit guardian has taken as a representative of their communities. Freedman mentioned the argument by Stanko (1988) that it is a factor in explaining job segregation, as women in traditionally male sector of the lobour market are more likely to report harassment than women working in traditionally female work place. According to Bista (2003)

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educational research in Nepal has not examined the issue of sexual harassment yet. As such, what constitutes sexual harassment in the context of Nepal has not been defined properly (p. 121). Therefore, a list of acts that are believed to be sexually offensive or unacceptable was prepared by reviewing the available western literature by him. These are as follows: (a) making comments on clothing, (b) Making comments on physical appearance or body parts, (c) asking very personal questions (d) giving pat on the back or elsewhere, (e) inappropriate touching (f) invitation for outing (g) invasion of personal space (h) making sexual remarks or gesture (i) sending sexually offensive materials, (j) displaying sexually offensive materials, (k) making suggestive looks, (l) making sexual or dirty jokes (m) making unwelcome sexual advances, (n) talking about sexual activity, and (o) attempted rape (p) making unnecessary phone calls. In attempt to examine the incidence of sexual harassment in the schools, I consented with her to talk about the sexual harassment. She hardly accepted my request. Then, I begin the discussion with breaking the ice by asking the question that is she heard about the sexual harassment. She has no ideas about the term sexual harassment but she is aware about the unaccepted behavours. I briefly explained about the sexual harassment and the acts listed from the western literature. However, she shied and felt difficult to talk, she started to discuss. Traditionally, Nepal is a gender segregated society. Social and cultural barriers do not permit open interaction between males and females although these practices are gradually vanishing in recent years (Bista, 2006). He further added that teaching has remained male dominated profession in Nepal; the women who choose to become a teacher must work in a male dominated environment. In this context, I asked her about the interaction between her and male colleagues in schools. She responded me that some time she felt friendly environment and some time she felt painful. Her male colleagues always talk about the politics but she is not interested in politics so that she does not participate in the discussion. Some time they joke. Some jokes are dirty and gender biased. Her male colleagues sometime do not notice her existence in the office. She never engaged in such environment but she often engages when the discussions are related to school but such kinds of discussion held rarely. Sometime her young male colleagues appreciate her dress calling Damaiko chhorile ramro silayera nalagaye kasale lagaune ta [who would wear such a beautiful dress, if the daughter of Tailor does not wear]. Similarly, when they discuss about any subject matter, one of her male colleagues always pat on her shoulders. She responded that her colleagues always ask about the personal questions but she prefers such a behavior because she feels very close from asking the personal questions. She also mentioned that to asked or be asked very personal questions cannot be considered as an act of sexual harassment. It is common among them and it keeps close relationship to the personal level. The finding of my study is similar to Bista (2006) to the comment of personal questions.

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Teachers will be able to perform effectively if they are assigned to teach subjects of their choice. She was asked whether she were teaching subjects of her choice. She responded that she is faced with a situation where she does not get to teach subjects of her choice. She is very much interested to teach mathematics in school and she says that she can do better in mathematics teaching but school administration assigned her to teacher the subjects such as Creative and Expressive Arts. This made her astonished and she feels that there is no environment to exercise the knowledge she has. I was interested to know that about the regretting becoming a teacher. In regard my query, she responded that she is not regretted to join the teaching profession. I asked her to describe the kind of discrimination they observe or experience in their schools on a day-to-day basis. Responses do confirm the existence of discriminatory practices in schools. Here are some brief comments: 

More opportunity is provided to male rather than female teachers. It there is an

invitation for a training courses or a workshop from the DEO Office, male teachers will be the ones to be asked first. 

It is always the male teachers who make major decisions.

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Head teachers always believe that male teachers are more capable of doing things.

Often, male teachers will be asked to take on challenging and rewarding responsibilities. 

Girls are often told to clean the classrooms, paint the floor, and fetch drinking water.

On the other hand, boys will be made monitors to control classrooms and maintain order. 

If the male teachers come late them it is an issue. But, when female teachers are late,

them a meeting will be held to discuss this. 

Extra-curricular activities are mainly for boys.

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Boys get more opportunity to learn than girls.

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The teachers also described the discrimination that takes place in the family in favor

of boys. He is one example. 

Boys get more opportunity to learn than girls.

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The teachers also described the discrimination that takes place in the family in favor

of boys. Here he is one example. 

Sons are sent to private schools where as daughters are sent to government schools.

My class contains a crowd of girls. If this situation is to continue, girls will not learn how to behave and interact with boys or with males. How does she feel in environments that are male dominated? In order to find out the situation, I asked her how often she feels lonely or isolated while she is not at work. Bista (2006) states that to feel lonely or isolated is different from the feeling of being ignored or neglected. One can feel lonely when there no no one around to share one's feelings, But, one can feel ignored or neglected when the

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environment fails to give the due attention, recognition, or consideration that one deserves (p. 118). In this context, I asked her to assess the extent to which she felt ignored or neglected. Then she gave a example of how she made to feel ignored or neglected: I never involved in any kind of decision-making. Most of decisions are taken outside the school after school hours. One day District Education Office asked for a teacher to participate in a 10 days recurrent teacher training program in Resource Center. My male colleagues were gathered in a restaurant and decided to send male teacher in that training. I felt I am ignoring from my male colleagues. They are regularly engaged in making a whole range of decisions about how schools are managed and run or how resources should be spent. I am excluded from all these decisions. There are no separate toilets for girls and female teacher. They have to go to the Jungle for urinating. Due to lack of separate toilet for girls and female teacher, she feels uneasy and discriminatory behavior of school administration. Her Way to Handle the Oppression Her ways to handle the oppression is not different from the general women acts in the sociocultural context of Nepal. I asked her how she handles the oppression that she feels. She mentioned that she does not take part in the discussion after school hours and she do not go out alone with male colleagues. Some time if she heard the dirty jokes, she pretends that she has not heard that joke. Sometime she lied when her male colleagues call her outing but she takes parts when all the members of the staff outing together. Sometimes her male colleagues call her to take a journey to the nearby market for shopping and sometimes her male colleagues request her to go to picnic. In such a condition, she lie saying to have household work and to assist her parent.

The Gender Issues Underline the Case Based on my study, I have listed some of the gender issues underline this case. These are as follows:  The issues of female teacher's participation in the discussion that held in school is unsolved. The male colleagues of female teacher ignore the necessity of female teacher. They are not convinced that school management is a team management.  Reducing the gender discrimination in schools and creating gender friendly environment in school seems challenging.

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 Awareness regarding sexual harassment in school is necessary, it is also the duty of school to train teacher on gender and it will success when all the members of the schools can contributes.  Share of female teachers in Nepalese schools is in lower status. To improve these situation female teachers should be appointed as head teacher.  Nepalese schools environment is not Dalit and female friendly. Relation between the Issues and the Readings in the Class The subject matters of the Master in Philosophy in the subject named Gender, Education and Development is related to gender and education in relation to education. The subject of theis case study is resembles to the discussion that held in the classroom. The discussion was based on the theoretical perspectives but my study is based on theoretical as well as empirical. Therefore, this Case Study helped me to understand the gender issues, gender discrimination and workplace oppression. The issues that I have raised in this study is relates to the content and the issues raised by different feminists writer and researchers. Mullins in her writing mentioned a statement that the American mother and teachers tell to their daughters and students is that when you grow up, you can be whatever you want to be (Mullins, 1998). She further adds that in United States almost everywhere they go, they are encouraged to believe that girls can be just as smart, athletic, and successful as boys. But in Nepal this case study finds out that the message is just the opposite. From the day they born, they are constantly reminded of the things are not allowed to do. Education is the tool that can help break the pattern of gender discrimination and bring lasting change for women in developing countries (Ibid). A burning issue rise here, how the education can play a role to break the pattern of gender discrimination and bring lasting change for women, when the female teacher is discriminated by her male colleagues. Here, the differences between male teacher and female teacher seem due to hierarchical difference. The idea of difference is never neutral in its effects on social structure (Freedman, 2002). Such kinds of differences in behavior affect the behavioural pattern of the students. The students could copy the behavior of the teachers and they will perform discriminatory behaviors. De Beauvoir argues that women's inferior position is not a natural or biological fact but one that is created by society. The female becomes feminine after birth and assigned the role this leads to be the women, the social roles and modes of behavior that civilizations have assigned to women have kept them in an inferior position to that of men. She argues that there is no biological distinction to be made between men and women. She maintains that the psychological and behavioural aspects of sex and the products of patriarchal cultures and not the inevitable products of biological differences. She

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argues that there is an irreducible biological difference between men and women. Woman is a biological and not a socio-historical category, event through all the behavior associated with femininity is clearly a social construction. Freedman (2002) cites Oakley (1996) argues that a woman is nothing more than an oppressed social class. Oakley's argument seems truth in the context of this case. She further maintained that sex is nothing more than a social construct and that the division between men and women is merely a product of social power relations with no basis in natural or human biology. Similarly, Freedman mentioned the argument by Stanko (1988) that it is a factor in explaining job segregation, as women in traditionally male sector of the lobour market are more likely to report harassment than women working in traditionally female work place. According to Bista (2003) educational research in Nepal has not examined the issue of sexual harassment yet. As such, what constitutes sexual harassment in the context of Nepal has not been defined properly (p. 121). Michele Barrett (1980), stresses the way in which ideology has a pivotal role in the construction of gender, particularly through the institution of the family and the ideology of familialism. Marxist feminist analyses women's oppression in terms of both capitalism and patriarchy namely dual system theory. She combines a non-materialist account of patriarchy (centered on psychoanalytic theory) with materialist account of capitalism. The dual system analyses of women's participation in the labor market aims to combineMarxist class-based analysis of capitalist production with a radical feminist account of gender relation under patriarchy. Hartman argues that capitalism and patriarchy are linked but that patriarchy precedes capitalism and is not unique to capitalist societies. For her, it the sexual division of labour that is the crucial point in women's subordination, and this division of labour occurs in societies that are not capitalist. So patriarchy and capitalism are independent but linked; they are two distinct systems but intertwined and create interdependent and solidarity among men, which allows them to dominate women. Men control women's sexuality and reproductive capacities and thus determine when they will have children and in what conditions, which limit women's access to well-paid jobs. Thus concludes that women earn less than men partly or wholly because they are restricted to less valued and less well-paid sectors of the labor market (Freedman, 2002). Reference Freedman, J. (2002). Conccept in the Social Sciences: Feminism, New Delhi: Viva Books Private Limited. Bista, M. B. (2006). Status of Female Teachers in Nepal, Kathmandu: UNESCO Mullins, J. (1998). Children in Need. Retrieved on February 23, 2009 from http://www.childreninneed.com/magazine/gender.html at google.com

Gender Teacher School http://www.amwa-doc.org/index.cfm?objectld=0F0FA5B9-D567-0B25-5C4C96B876E06BC3. Retrieved on May 9, 2009 at google.com

This paper is submitted to the Tribhuvan University, Nepal for the partial fulfulment of Master in Philosophy in Education by Bishnu Prasad Mishra on July 2009 E-mail: [email protected] Monday November 23, 2009

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