This study examines the perspectives of Chinese preschool leaders on gender roles and stereotypes in early childhood education (ECE), with a focus on fathers’ involvement in childcare and the employment of male educators. Fifteen principals and deputy principals from urban and rural preschools across five Chinese provinces participated in semi-structured interviews. Using inductive thematic analysis, four key themes emerged: (1) the persistence of gender stereotypes in child-rearing, (2) the entrenched view of men as primary breadwinners, (3) conflicting perspectives on male educators, and (4) the delineation of gender-based responsibilities in ECE. Findings reveal that societal norms often limit fathers’ engagement in child-rearing and confine male educators to roles that perpetuate traditional stereotypes. While participants acknowledged the value of fathers and male teachers in ECE, their views reflected deep-rooted cultural biases. The study calls for policies to challenge existing gender norms, promote male inclusion, and achieve equity in ECE practices.
Lu et al. (Wed,) studied this question.