"One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world," this was said by none other than Malala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. It was aimed at children regardless of his/her age, gender, cultural background, tradition and so on. Although the world has moved on in technology and science, parochialism is something that, perhaps, can never be removed from the face of earth. Girls in many parts of the world are still viewed as inferiors. Parents and relatives in these regions believe that girls are only meant for domestic work and are not adept for academic excellence. This article highlights several barriers that women face during education and how to overcome the hurdles.
The first barrier is the distance to school. When girls walk a long distance to arrive at the school, parents often feel worried about their girl's safety. This is because violence can take place on such roads. As a result, the girls are kept at home. There is also the issue of violence at school that is growing at a higher pace. Upon reaching school, girls may face various forms of abuse at the hands of their friends, teachers, and seniors. If parents find out about this disruption, they will most likely not want to send their girls to school.
Then there are issues with gender norms. A girl is often viewed as an individual who always stands beside the stove, dusts shelves and takes care of her siblings and family. Often, parents choose their boys for going to school while keeping the daughter in-house for domestic chores. As a result, girls may not be able to attend school because her contribution to household chores is valued more than her education.
Marriage and pregnancy are also a major reason. When premature girls are married off, they are forcefully removed from all educational activities and are encouraged to focus on their husbands' homes. These girls are later on discouraged to attend school because apparently, no one would be left to maintain the house and also for the stigma that would surround due to going to school after marriage.
The root of the problem goes back to the early ages of a girl. When a girl is constantly told about how she would be married off in the future and how insignificant education plays a role in a woman's life, it is likely the girl would be demotivated about taking education.
"My mother always talked about my marriage when I was young. I had to struggle a lot to complete my education because I had a hard time convincing my mother about the benefits education can bring in my life," said an undergraduate student of North South University.
Preventive methods need to be taken to remove the barriers girls face in pursuing their education. Firstly, villagers and people living in poverty-struck regions should be notified about the importance of girls' education via small community initiatives. This will help the poor people comprehend the definition of gender equality. Secondly, boys should be educated about the importance of gender equality and how significant contribution women's education can make in the society.
Finally, legislation must be made stricter- both in schools and on roads. The schools must have rigid rules and regulations regarding the safety of girls that must be maintained at all times. Also, more security personnel, such as police officers, need to be placed in different areas of the road to ensure the safety of girls walking to school and home.
Education is a fundamental necessity, a right of every individual. Being educated can make a person more confident and more courageous. Knowledge obtained by education can be used to solve various problems all around the world, and it is somewhat unfair to believe that only half of the population (males) is better capable of absorbing the knowledge. It is high time that prejudice is removed from the society. Education is supposed to be free and everyone's right.
The writer is a first year student of BBA programme at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka. She can be reached at [email protected]
