Psychometric validation of the gender equity scale in science education

Abstract This study aimed to validate the Gender Equity Scale (GES) within the context of science education in Pakistan. The psychometric aspects of the instrument were evaluated to gauge its usefulness and trustworthiness in education settings in Pakistan. A total of 659 individuals (67.8% women and 31.3% men), living in both rural and urban areas, were recruited through nonrandom purposive sampling. Data was collected using the 35-item GES and analyzed through Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA and CFA). The findings showed high internal consistency of (α .95) and revealed five significant factors: curriculum design, textbook representation, teaching practices, career guidance and educational outcomes. Results confirmed that the GES can effectively and reliably be used to measure gender equity in educational context of Pakistan. It was observed that there are biases in the curriculum making it harder for women to enter STEM subjects. This study offers a version of a tool that considers local cultures and lays the groundwork for further investigations. It would be useful to conduct more studies on how effective the scale is in different provinces in different settings and its role in STEM education’s policy making and learning platforms.