Exploring Lecturers’ Perceptions of Gender Equity in the Educational Management of Private Higher Educational Institutions (PHEIs) in Sabah, Malaysia
Abstract
Gender equity in the educational management of higher education in Malaysia is often shaped by structural, operational, and sociocultural factors. While female students and female academic staff dominate in absolute numbers, the highest echelons of executive leadership in higher education remain substantially male-dominated. The primary purpose of this study was to explore lecturers’ perceptions of gender equity in the educational management of private higher educational institutions (PHEIs) in Sabah, Malaysia. The sample consisted of 61 lecturers from four PHEIs in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, who responded to the Gender Equality Questionnaire on Google Forms. Data were subsequently transferred onto a spreadsheet and analyzed using SPSS 29.0. First, percentages of agreement on perceived gender equity were calculated. Second, Kruskal-Wallis H test was conducted to determine if there were any significant differences in relation to age and job experience, while Mann-Whitney U test was run to determine if there were any significant differences in terms of gender. Third, Wilcoxon signed rank test was conducted to determine if any of the items significantly differed from the hypothesized value of 3.5. Findings imply that only low to average proportions of PHEI lecturers tend to strongly agree/agree that gender equity exists in the educational management of their organization, which are supported by previous research. On the other hand, Mann-Whitney U test indicated that significant gender differences tend to exist in perceived gender equity at p < .05. In contrast, Kruskal-Wallis H test revealed nonsignificant differences in perceived gender equity by way of age and job experience. Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed that 25 of the items significantly differed from the hypothesized value of 3.5 at p < .001, while eight significantly differed from the same hypothesized value at p < .05. In light of the findings, some recommendations were made on ways to enhance gender equity in the educational management of PHEIs in Malaysia.
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