Uniqueness of Bangladesh:
Uniqueness of Bangladesh The Largest Madrasa School System in South Asia (2nd Largest in the World)
A Major Segment of Secondary Education in Bangladesh
Only Coed Madrassa System in the World
Only Madrassa System with Female Teachers
Survey Design and Data:
Survey Design and Data Derivate Study from a Larger Study involving a random rural sample of 231 non-religious secondary schools and 94 secondary madrasas
1000 Teachers (335 Madrasa Teachers)
191 Females who graduated from a random sub-sample of secular and madrasa schools (61)
Detailed current and retrospectively matched school/teacher information
Questions on Social and Economic Attitudes:
Questions on Social and Economic Attitudes World Values Survey
Sub-set of Questions from WVS
Attitudes towards working mothers
Desired Fertility
Higher education for boys vis-à-vis girls
Political regimes (military, Islamic, secular)
Teacher-Student Matched Analysis: Empirically Focus on 2 Questions:
Teacher-Student Matched Analysis: Empirically Focus on 2 Questions Does the madrasa system produce students with polarized views ?
How are these views modulated by:
‘Traditionalist’
Female/Secular Teachers
Regression Analysis Controlling for
Individual
Family
Community
School
Teacher
Yes, There are Differences in Attitudes, But Female Teachers Help to Attenuate the Polarization Effect of Madrasas:
Yes, There are Differences in Attitudes, But Female Teachers Help to Attenuate the Polarization Effect of Madrasas Differences in attitudes of madrasa graduates regarding demographic decision, investment in female education, and Islamic rule – are all greatly reduced by exposure to female teachers
Findings confirm a broad consensus in the development literature that female teachers are a key agent of social change