GENDER GAP IN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF UPM STUDENTS

Abstract

Gender gap is a phenomenon when the male and female are not in equal performance or distribution in population, academic performance and other socioeconomic achievements. Descriptive statistics will prove the existence of gender gap, and this is usually an indicator of gender related issues in all disciplines in the future. Male and female are physical sexual identities of an individual, and this physical identity cannot be changed 100% even through operation procedures. How the individual male and female believe, behave and think are shaped by the sociocultural and the society of where they live, and this is called gender ideology. Man and woman reflect to gender identity as to how male and female believe she or he should behave as requested by the sociocultural and the society where he or she belong to.
When an individual portrays an action which is significantly different by sex, he/she is trying to show gender identity. For example, a male individual may put on male clothing and a female may put on female dress. The fashion or style of dressing is determined by society’s expectation of how male and female should dress up. Then, as gender identity, male is man and female is woman. To gain efficient and effective gender ideology in order for males and females to play equal and equate gender roles in their day to day life, the society needs proper gender related education, awareness, values and socialization. Apparently, unlike sexual identity, gender identity can be changed. Thus, an individual may face gender identity conflict, for example, when a male feels and believes that he should instead behave like a female in the society.