Gender Stereotypes in Assigning Physical Education Roles: Evidence from Islamic Primary Schools

Abstract

Background of study: Gender stereotypes continue to significantly influence educational management, particularly within the context of religious-based primary schools.
Aims and scope of paper: This study aims to analyze how gender-based perceptions dictate the assignment of non-specialist class teachers as Physical Education instructors in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah.
Methods: Employing a qualitative descriptive case study, research was conducted at a private Madrasah Ibtidaiyah in Salatiga. Data were gathered through participatory observation, documentation, and semi-structured interviews with male and female class teachers representing both lower and upper grade levels.
Results: Findings reveal a systematic segregation where female teachers are exclusively assigned to lower grades based on nurturing stereotypes. In contrast, male teachers dominate upper grades due to perceived physical authority and masculine dominance. This distribution is driven by social role expectations rather than formal professional competence. The analysis indicates that these practices reproduce traditional gender schemas within the sports field, limiting teachers' professional development and reinforcing gender biases among students. Madrasah management tends to rely on intuitive gender roles rather than pedagogical standards, creating an invisible barrier to female educators in athletic instruction.
Conclusion: The study concludes that such stereotypical assignments undermine the inclusivity of physical education. It implies an urgent need for gender-responsive managerial policies and cross-gender teacher rotations to dismantle these ingrained biases. This research contributes a significant perspective on the mechanism of gender reproduction within Islamic primary education management.