Gender equality in religious education: a comparative study of catholic, evangelical and secular private schools in Guatemala

Abstract

This study assesses the effects that private religious and secular schools have on gender equality in education. Using data collected from more than twenty school site visits, various methods are used to determine if Catholic, evangelical and secular schools have divergent outcomes in key areas including gender attitudes, academic aspirations and self-image. The mechanisms by which faith may affect religious schools' outcomes are a key focus of this study. Results show that there are key differences between school types. Catholic schools score significantly higher in gender egalitarian measures but significantly lower in some self-esteem and academic confidence measures. Evangelical school students, and especially evangelical school girls, have higher academic aspirations than students from other schools. Finally, this study demonstrates that religious beliefs and values are key predictors, especially for outcomes in gender ideology and self-esteem.