Managing the mainstreaming of girl children in secondary schooling: a case of Limpopo province, South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to probe ways and means of mainstreaming girl children in the South African schooling sector to promote  equity of both male and female genders. The paper is both conceptual and empirical and it is positioned within the qualitative case study  design. Interviewing technique and narrative enquiry was employed to generate data from the three fierce antagonists of female mainstreaming and the other three victims of the absence of female mainstreaming in the South African secondary schooling sector.  Research findings reveal that firstly, female mainstreaming can lessen patriarchy. Secondly, female mainstreaming could contribute  immensely to an equal society among the secondary school learners. Thirdly, female mainstreaming has the potential of contributing to a  just society among the secondary school learners. Fourthly, female mainstreaming could facilitate social inclusion among learners in  the secondary schooling sector. Fifthly, female mainstreaming lessens the marginalisation of girl children in a secondary schooling set- up. Lastly, female mainstreaming contributes to redressing historical travails which girl children face in secondary schooling  environment. The researcher recommends the establishment of the source of the absence of female mainstreaming in South African  secondary schooling, thirty years into democracy and independence. Furthermore, the researcher proposes the appropriate re- socialisation of antagonists of female mainstreaming in the secondary schooling arena. Lastly, the researcher recommends the  deployment of technology in arresting and eliminating resistance to female mainstreaming within the secondary schooling environment.