The role of culture on the levels of academic participation and achievement among Bidayuh men and women

Culture plays an important role in determining the gender ideologies of an individual human being, especially in defining the rights, responsibilities and appropriate behaviour for women and men. Culture also has some berings on the individual levels of academic participation and achievement of a person according to his/her gender. The main objective of this study is to determine the influence of culture in educational attainment of Bidayuh men and women. This study adopted phenomenology research paradigm as a strategy focusing on the lived-through experience of an indivial person. Therefore, in this study the differences in educational attainment of Bidayuh men and women were constructed by the world view of the Bidayuh community itself using their own words. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with 50 respondents. Analysis shows that parents and Bidayuh community as whole tended to have stereotype views on women. They also favoured men over women in giving incentive and encouragement to attend school. This had in turn influenced the high levels of participation and attainment among Bidayuh men in education as compared to women. The implication of this finding is that if women were confronted with two roles of taking care of their younger children and taking part in productive economic activities, the former would be given the priority. For purpose of achieving sustainable development of Bidayuh community, an equal access to employment opportunities and incomes should be given priority disregard of their gender background.