Educated girls, need of the hour

JagranCityPlus / Bangalore (Koramangala) March, 2010

Today's scenario requires compulsory education for girls to know the basic three R's. To improve the status of women in society we need to educate them.  Pandit Nehru has said that by educating a woman we are educating the whole society, whereas by educating a man we educate only an individual. A woman can adapt her learning in her day-to-day activities as and when she takes up the role of a wife, mother and a citizen.  Even if her only workplace is her home, she can be a better mother and a home maker. Basic education promotes the well-being of girls. Girls, who become better informed of the day-to-day activities, can become independent financially thereby support the family. They are aware of the modern health care, thus marry late to have fewer children.  They can hand over their benefits to their generations. How is this possible?The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2002 makes elementary education a Fundamental Right of every child. Even poor parents want to send their daughters to school. The demand for girls' education is rising. Girls outnumber and outperform boys in our country. The government should encourage girls to come up to enrol at least for the basic education. It should set up schools closer to the lower-income group dwellings.  They should be safe for girls so that parents need not have to fear for their safety. The school premise should be clean with potable water and proper functioning toilets. Employing qualified, female teachers with the meaningful and workable curriculum and of course ensuring some vocational training in weaving, pottery, tailoring, embroidery, block printings, ceramics and farming would initially attract them. Later on they can be funded by the small-scale industries to earn their livelihood.  This can discourage girls from dropping out, and the disparity in society will gradually fade away abolishing the hold of the social and cultural beliefs which are like weeds of society. Ensuring better schooling opportunities for girls is the right step towards ensuring social and gender justice. Discrimination should end at home.