Introduction
Education is getting knowledge which plays dynamic role in human’s personal growth, economic growth and social activism. It empowers the individual to seek and learn knowledge skills through critical thinking which enable them to make better choices and decides to contributes for the community development. Education is also important for inter-personal behavioral skills which help to develop tolerance level, innovative ideas, multiple solutions of any issue and it gives confidence to initiate the steps to help others to break the vicious cycle of poverty and for themselves.
Every child has a right to the Basic Education irrespective of its gender of male and female. Education gives the practical perspective of mental and as well as the economic empowerment. The discussion on the significance of attaining education is now understood across the social classes but the still the girl’s education thrives to comprehend. A country like Pakistan where the percentage of girls is 52% of its total population and it is considered to unnecessary to include in the economic activities then its a dream long coming true of getting economic independence. It is evident worldwide that education plays its fundamental role in achieving the economic independence. Girl’s education is crucial for;
- Empowering women and promoting gender equality
- Breaking vicious cycle of poverty and initiate economic opportunities
- Applying health care and nutrition for better well being and minimizing mortality rate of mother/child
- Increasing social motion and community development
- Discouraging child marriages
- Development of community leaders
Background
All girls from any class of income level, social stature, race or family background have a right to education very similar and equal to boys. Girls are completely rightful to access to subject specialists, good curriculum and practical learning materials/opportunities. The good quality of education must affect the increase in ability to choose their own choices in the societies. It also encourages the girls to stand against any kind of social discrimination. It trains the girls to associate with any political and social platforms without hesitation of social pressure. Its indispensable to education girls so they can be fully aware of the actual gender roles and able to advocate their rights. Generally, there is a big and serious confusion prevailing in the society regarding gender roles. It is witnessed that many roles allocation is done on the basis of sex, family rituals and preference more often.
It is obvious in the society that women are working as domestic house helps, handcrafters and as female farmers. They are unsung heroes of the economy. With education they can understand their rights but also strives to get them. They can upgrade and switch to better work opportunities where they can express the education in a better way in order to earn more. The girl earns more if they are even having at least secondary education as compared to the girls with zero education. This increase in income can contribute towards the upgradation of their living standard. They can also play their role in community building and development.
Girls with education have the knowledge to support the communities to adapt the climatic change and also mitigate kits effects in the long run. Educated girl does not let the people in their families die of drought and flood or any other natural calamity because they have alternate means of economy. They are skillful to take along the communities in this challenging situation. They are confident to fine ways towards prosperity in these critical circumstances. There are many examples in available that in case of any natural disaster the educated girls diverted the financial preference to handicrafts or any other self equipped skills at the family level.
There is nothing to discuss more that how health and education id strongly interlinked to upgrade the quality and span of life of a woman. The educated girls new in marriage have the know how to handle their health situation in pregnancies, cleanliness and understanding the child health and medicine. This is minimizing the mortality rate among the children and women. The girls with at least secondary education can make better health care decisions for her family. As we see that in many families there is rift for vaccination but the educated girls make it possible to happen with the health preference of her child. Many women die during the childbirth, if the medical care providers suggest them the c section the family consider it a sin and against the family rules, no matter if the mother die, but the educated mother take the decision by herself and safe her child and herself.
The most relevant issues even if the parents want their girls to go to schools is distance. In rural areas generally the population is scattered so the public sector schools either primary or secondary are far away from the homes. It is observed that while going to schools many girls face sexual harassments while on the way back. Parents on this issue the totally stop the girls to go to schools. Parents usually are of mix community but most of them belongs to labor class and can not go along the girls to schools.
Challenges of Girls Education
Sadly, more than 129 million girls are not going to school and deprived of the opportunities which can motivate them for prosperous future. Often, other related issues remaining the same, most of the girls are out of schools because they are born girls. Otherwise, the boys are also living in the same deprived community but parents even if they can afford, they think why a girl should get education at the end have to get married and born children.
Now a days, with increasing knowledge about education, many marginalized parents wish to send their daughters to school but there are many issues which contribute with high force to the matter. Few of the issues are discussed below;
- Poverty and Child Labor
The main target of lack of girl’s education belongs to the under privileged poor population which is mostly resided in rural areas. The parents are severely poor so they have to make choices between boy and girl education because they only afford one to send schools. Generally, in these rural societies the parents prefer boys to be educated and successful because they consider them to be the provider and care taker of the families in future. The main disadvantages are that the parents are less educated themselves and poor as well.
As oppose to the urban areas, the rural areas have large family structure and they do not have any support for doing household chores, the women members has to do all the tasks them selves without any help so the mothers preferably attach the small girls with them. The upbringing of the boys in these families are reared as untouchables and girls as workers.
Many girls begin working at least of age five either in the households as domestic helper or in case of agriculture areas, in the fields. In most of the countries where the child labor is discouraged in the documentations but they are encouraged as ground reality. The employers are under no bounds of the child labor rights as social responsibility to take part in their education. The employers consider them as servants with no rights. So, the employers do not allow them to enroll in the schools, no employer compromise their work for these innocents, ignored small creatures. The other side effect is that as the child labor is not legally allowed so the girls labor has no right to fair remuneration and other facilities such as health, working hours etc.
- Caring for ill Relatives
The unfortunate prevailing concept about girls is that they are born to feed, work in the households and care for the other relatives of the family. The parents think that the girls are more in population so they are animals and they have the sole duty to care about the family. The mothers who are busy in other tasks within the household or in any unsung economic activity, they train the girl child on her foot steps. With the sheer insensitivity mother engage these small girls in household tasks, working in the field or as domestic helper but they are also assigned with the most professional and difficult job of taking care of ill elderly members of the family and small new born. But these heavy-duty expectations from a girl will never give her time to go to the public sector schools which are mostly free of cost.
- Water and sanitation
The unfortunate fact is that the dream of providing education to small girls is not easy to be true without provision of other basic needs of human life. Such as health care, clean water and sanitation and easy way of earnings. The drinking clean water is a challenge in the rural areas where again this task is given to the girls who spend six hours of a day on brining clean water from far flung areas. Apparently, these loud strong claiming boys are sitting at home waiting for the girls to bring water, the parents do not even send the Physically strong boys for this heavy work to be done. there is no time left then for girls to go to schools.
As it is said before, that the sanitation conditions are worse than anything in the area as a whole where the open latrines and garbage mountains are visible to observe but the it is severely lacking in the school buildings where are constructed by the public sector. The sanitation conditions must be better even if not good when the girls reach to the menstruation stage of their life where they become vulnerable for any health condition. This might trap them in any health situation if even the health sector is poorly implemented in any rural area. So, because of poor sanitation condition girls drop out from schools to avoid further challenges.
- Conflict and Emergencies
Many countries of the world are under severe security conditions so it is out of question to send the girls to schools. Many of the school buildings are destroyed. These conflicted areas are more likely to be vulnerable and the high percentage is out of school as compared to the peaceful areas.
In many areas the main conflict is about the disliking towards girls education. The elders of the community do not allow the girls to avail their right to education and they have many unauthentic reasons behind so, they mainly target the girls school buildings.
In natural emergencies such as earth quakes and floods it is observed that the girls are at higher risk of pride sacrifice. The communities in these areas think that first of everything girls should be secured which results in early marriages and give always to other families a domestic helper. it is sad that whatever the situation arises on the face of earth the most negative effects it has on the girl child.
- Child Marriage
In many rural areas worldwide the early or child marriage is a part of culture. It is quite easy to see the young mothers around the society. The direct impact it has is on the drop out from schools. The girls are normally married to poor families as likely to themselves which start crying about minimal school fee, responsibility of household tasks and other household chores. The in-laws do not even consider it to encourage the girls to go back to schools because it is their self proclaimed right of considering the girls as property and a maid free of cost. The early marriages result in early pregnancies which has direct affect on the high ratio of drop out from schools.
- Pregnancy
The early marriages obviously result in early pregnancies which is painfully stigmatized in the rural societies in particular and urban in general. The school staff encourages these young to be mothers to stay at home and complete their pregnancies and take care of their children. Unfortunately, no adult literacy classes are available at school buildings or any other distance learning program which discourage the young mothers to continue their education. The in-laws have this preference that now you have started your motherhood so your own life is finished and focus on the house and children. It is strongly suggested that there must be some flexible education system for the young mothers specially but for others as well.
- Disability
Disability is even a challenge for a boy child in the insensitive society, they think that the disable children are able to do anything positive e in their lives. It is easy to think the situation of a disable girl who is facing the situation with double pressure as girls and then as a disable girl. There are less or no special school at lower or affordable costs so these girls can get admission in. Imagine the pain in a society where the communities does not allow the girls to school, it needs a revolution to allow the disable girls to bring them to day light.
The public sector should come forward to play their prime role for this most ignored part of the population so they can express their different abilities for the well being of themselves and society.
Benefits of Girls Education
The benefits of girl’s education are undeniable. As the education does not only benefit their own lives but the future generations as well. Every child be it girl or boy has the right to education regardless of the race and belief, social class and family background. More emphasis is being given on girl’s education in particular because they create impact in the long run. They have to bear a family and ability to make better choices from available pool of options. Few of the benefits are as follows;
- Economic Growth
Education for both girls and boys is indispensable for the growth of a country but more focus is being placed on the girls education as the percentage of the population of girls is higher than the boys. Many job opportunities are labelled for boys but girls can join them to increase the productivity specially in the labor force. A woman with education can break the trap of labor class and join the highly paid jobs which eventually can contribute to the productivity of the country. This economic growth is better in the broader sense but off course this will positively affect their own standard of living. The educated women know the needs of the community and they can closely work with the non governmental organization in order to contribute a change.
- Knowledge of Health
A child born to an educated mother definitely have more clean and sanitized life style. The educated mother has more knowledge about health care options available in public sector and the methods as well. They have more sensitized information regarding immunization, clean water and sanitation. The mortality rate of children is less recorded to an educated mother.
- Sustainable Families
An educated bride no matter a younger married individual knows the fact of not having more pregnancies. She is fully aware of the benefits of smaller family. She understands the relationship between smaller family and sustainable provision of facilities. An educated girl also can avoid the early pregnancy, which can retain her healthy life.
- Less infectious Diseases
An educated girl is fully aware of the basic precautionary methods from seasonal diseases such as malaria, flu and typhoid. She knows the fact the she can use mosquito nets and remove standing water to avoid these diseases. An educated girl also understands how to avoid major infectious diseases.
- Less Early Marriages
Educated girls are fully aware of her rights. She also has the communication skills and courage to avoid their marriage plans settled by the families. She knows that she can strive for her prosperous life rather than imprisoning in the cycle of marriage and finishes her life. She can stand by her decision In front of her family elders with logic and sense.
- Preparedness for Disasters
Educated girls are more likely understands the challenges one can face in natural disasters. They wave off the only options with the family of getting married. They contribute in the family financial structure by switching to other financial options. Educated women also understands how to be safe in the floods or earthquakes and what are the techniques to safe others as well.
- Self control on Lives
An educated girl is fully aware of her personal strengths and worth. She gets confidence in herself over the period of time and transform into more self trusted women. She can take stand against any kind of violence at domestic level. She can decide in a better way according to her own preferred choices without accepting any kind of pressure by the family. She can with stand the pressures of the society and move smoothly towards her goals.
- Learning leadership Skills
Educated girls when take control over their own lives they can help to develop the communities. The non governmental organisations appreciate these girls to join them in the small bodies and community leaders and trainers in many subject areas.
Conclusion
Keeping in view, the significance of girls education and its long term affects for generations it is suggested that the public sector must design different policies and programs accordingly on warfare basis. To promote education in rural areas it will not only enough to implement programs in education sector but also the whole interlinked cycle of health, gender sensitization, clean drinking water and sanitation and different options for financial independence.
Considering the importance of girls education, it is quiet hopeful that improvement is been made in education sector with specific emphasis on girls education. Around 2015 the number of girls education at primary level has increased for every 100 boys to 92 girls. At secondary level, it has raised to 97. The number of countries that attained the gender parity has increased from 36 to 62.
Unfortunately, many countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria are still striving to protect girls from threats and attacks in the schools which results in high drop out rates. To minimize this challenge the security situation must be of utmost importance while designing developmental programs.