CDT and Equal Opportunities

Abstract

For just over a decade the Equal Opportunities Commission (ED.C.) has been employed in its task of ending sexual discrimination. Up until comparatively recently gender differences in education were thought to be a problem that co-education could put right. Since girls must be part of any social class or ethnic group, their advantages or disadvantages would vary with whatever group to which they belonged. Better opportunities for some groups wo.uld, therefore, seem to offer better opportunities for some girls. The issue of girls was thought to be part of bigger issues in society and education. Even though sex-role differences might have certain questionable aspects other matters had priority. But, gradually, with changes in the structure of the family and in the legal and vocational status of women there came a realization that equal opportunities did not seem to exist for women in society and education.