CYPRUS / CHYPRE
Promoting gender equality in schools :
the role of school headteachers
1.
General approach and framework :
The general aim of the training activities of the Pestalozzi Programme is to train education
professionals to become multipliers for Council of Europe standards and values in education.
The work is based on three main pillars
Content : standards and principles as well as project results of the Council of Europe
Methodology : learner-centred, peer-training, collaborative work on issues of common
concerns to find fit solutions for diverse contexts
Four-fold concept of competences development : developing sensitivity and awareness,
knowledge and understanding, individual practice, societal practice
2.
Number :
CoE 2009 1203-1205 Cyprus
3.
Related Council of Europe Project :
Children’s Rights and Prevention of Violence
4.
Dates :
03/12/2009 – 05/12/2009
5.
Deadline for application :
03/10/2009
6.
Working language(s) :
English and Modern Greek
7.
Venue :
(to be announced later)
8.
Number of available places :
10
participants from the signatory States to the European Cultural Convention
20
participants from the host country
9.
Target group :
The participants are headteachers in primary and lower secondary education who must act as
facilitators of gender equity in their school unit.
10.
Focus of the training activity :
The goal of the seminar is to promote gendered awareness and gender equality in schools. The
seminar will include input sessions (speeches from experts) and workshops.
The seminar will attempt to shed light to gender issues with regards to policy making in a school unit,
provided that the participants are firstly informed by key note speakers about:
 gender inequalities existing both in schools and society ;

the role of school heads, local governments and NGO’s to promote gender equality within society
or in a state.
During the seminar, the participants will be divided into 3 groups of ten and work in several
workshops in order to investigate with given scenarios, the aspects of:
 facilitating change in their school unit, regarding gendered equality issues
 dealing with sensitive cases of gendered violence
 implementing inclusive education (including parents and other stakeholders)
 negotiating change (changing the curriculum or penetrating change within the same curriculum,
addressing parents’ resistance to change or politically incorrect or biased attitudes, imposing girls’
representation percentage in school elections).
11.
Expected results :
 The participants will be in the position to acknowledge the extent of the existence of gender
inequalities in their school unit and the society of their country.
 The participants will acknowledge the effort by European organisations and institutions such as
the Council of Europe, the European Union, local governments and NGO’s to promote measures
addressing gender equality in the field of either education or society (work field, welfare schemes,
politics and women’s representation).
 The participant headteachers will develop the skills to design a strategic plan for promoting
gender sensitive educational policies within their schools. This strategic plan, if developed at their
school, with their administrative team and the teaching staff in their school, will promote the
gender equality in their schools (SWOT analysis: Strengths and Weaknesses of their school unit
concerning Gender issues, Opportunities and Threats).
12.
Outline of programme :
WEDNESDAY, 2/12/09
Welcome Dinner for participants arriving from abroad
THURSDAY, 3/12/09
Opening of the Seminar
Welcome Address
Getting to know each other – ice breaking activity
KEY NOTE SPEECH
Gender inequalities – tracing gender inequalities within school and society. Gender violence in schools
(questions and discussion)
TALK/presentation
Promoting gender equality within society – the role of governments and NGOs
(questions and discussion
TALK/presentation
Promoting gender equality within schools – the role of the headteachers – facilitating change
(questions and discussion)
Participants’ short presentations on addressing gender inequalities in their school units
WORKSHOPS/DISCUSSION (participants are divided into 3 groups of 10)
GROUP 1
How can a headteacher act as facilitator of change within his/her school’s senior management team ?
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GROUP 2
How can a head teacher act as facilitator of change in his/her school unit as far as the school’s teachers and
other staff are concerned?
GROUP 3
How can a headteacher act as facilitator of change in his/her school unit as far as the school’s pupils are
concerned?
PRESENTATIONS OF THE 3 GROUPS’ CONCLUSIONS
FRIDAY, 4/12/09
Transport from base (hotel or place of residence) to a school for a prearranged visit. Participants will be
introduced to the headteacher and the staff of the school and become familiar with the school environment.
They will observe project work in action.
PROJECT WORK AT SCHOOL
Participants will have the chance to observe a lesson and/or various activities/techniques which can help
towards developing appropriate attitudes in children, i.e. ‘gendered’ prescribed roles and sharing of
responsibilities should not be gender-specific.
The participants will also have the chance to discuss with the teacher and other school staff.
Transport back to the seminar venue
TALK/presentation
Recent Research findings– “Gender and Leadership at a European level”
(questions and discussion)
PRESENTATION
The role of the National Action Plan of the “National Machinery for Women’s Rights” and Equality Unit
(“Monada Isotitas”)
PRESENTATION
The role of the Ombudsman in Cyprus in addressing complaints concerning gender issues in general and
gender and education in specific
PRESENTATION
E.U. politics and agenda for addressing gender issues and preventing gender violence. Policies towards gender
equal societies
questions and discussion for the previous three presentations
1.
2.
3.
Scenario-based discussions (participants are divided into 3 groups)
How can a head teacher address a specific ‘case’ of gendered violence among the school’s pupils?
How can a head teacher address a specific ‘case’ of gendered violence between a teacher and pupils?
How can a head teacher address a specific ‘case’ of gendered violence between a teacher and pupils?
TALK/Presentation
Inclusive education – Principles
(questions and discussion)
DISCUSSION IN 3 GROUPS
How to involve teachers, parents and other stakeholders in promoting gender-equal schools and society? (same
topic for the three groups)
PRESENTATIONS OF THE 3 GROUPS’ CONCLUSIONS
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SATURDAY, 5/12/09
Presentation of good practice on Gender awareness issues: Insights from Greece
(a survey involving 8 500 teachers and 120000 pupils
Contribution of male and female pupils
Presentations of Cypriot head teachers
The role of school subjects (language, literature, home economics, ICT, maths) both in elementary and
secondary education in promoting gender equality) – is there a need for curriculum reform – or can politically
correct practices infuse within the existing curriculum?
WORKING GROUPS
GROUP 1
How can we add gender education in primary, if it is not included in the existing national curriculum?
GROUP 2
How can head teachers address different parental views concerning the role of gender?
GROUP 3
Do you think that you can ‘impose’ gender percentage representation in pupils’ election in each class, the
school’s pupils’ union or any other board or school committees existing at your school / country of origin?
Reasons for or against.
PRESENTATIONS OF THE 3 GROUPS’ CONCLUSIONS
PARTICIPANTS CARRY OUT A SWOT ANALYSIS AND WORK ON DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN FOR
PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY IN THEIR SCHOOLS
Participants work in pairs or individually.
Time for 3-4 presentations on behalf of the participants and relevant discussion
SUMMING UP – CONCLUSIONS REFLECTIVE COMMENTS AND EVALUATION FROM PARTICIPANTS
CERTIFICATES WRITTEN EVALUATION OF THE SEMINAR (QUESTIONNAIRE)
13.
Organising body :
Ministry of Education and Culture, Nicosia, 1434, Cyprus
The Cyprus Pedagogical Institute, The Department of Primary Education, The Department of
Secondary Education
Tel.
++ 357 22 80 06 07 / 704
Fax:
++ 357 22 42 75 59 / 228 006 40
E-mail:
minedu@cytanet.com.cy
Web site:
www.moec.gov.cy and www.pi.ac.cy
14.
European Workshop Director :
Mr Andreas CHARALAMBOUS, Director of Cyprus Pedadogical Institute, P.O.Box 12720, 2252 NICOSIA
Tel.
++ 357 22 40 23 61
Fax:
++ 357 22 48 05 05
E-mail:
charand@cyearn.pi.ac.cy for Mr CHARALAMBOUS
ellix@cyearn.pi.ac.cy for Elli HADJIGEORGIOU
Web site:
www.pi.ac.cy
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15.
Travel and subsistence expenses :
Travel expenses :
Participants from the signatory States (8.i) : Travel expenses are covered by the Council of Europe
according to the rules.
Participants from the host country (8ii): Travel expenses are not covered.
Subsistence expenses :
Subsistence expense are covered by the host country for all participants. Any travel or activity,
included in the programme of the European Workshop, will also be taken in charge by the host
county.
16.
Other information :
The success of the training activities depend on the commitment of all the participants. By accepting
to participate in the Pestalozzi programme, participants and facilitators agree to participate actively
and assiduously in all the phases of the activity.
Information for participants from the signatory States to the European Cultural Convention :
Travel expenses : Participants benefiting from reimbursement of their travel expenses are advised to
consult carefully on the website the section about “Rules”. Application form : Candidates must send
their application form duly completed to the National Liaison Officer of their country of residence. All
information available on : http://www.coe/Pestalozzi
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