A child enters the school from the laps of mother. This tells us about the importance of girls' education.
Different societies carry different social structures. With the dominance of historical and cultural changes, poverty, negligence and orthodoxies, in India, women are mostly in second pedal. Any nation's development is largely depends on the education of its masses. Here arises the significance of education to all, irrespective of sex, caste, region, religion.
In addition to that, almost each of the state governments has an affiliated educational board under their purview, and they constitute a major portion in the aspect of student enrolment in the country.
Present status: In India half the population consists of women. They are deprived of education due to socio-economic situations, family cultures, blind beliefs, early marriages and negative attitude of woman education. After a lot of attempts to promote women education, still there is a large gap in the literacy rate between boys and girls.
- More than 50 per cent of girls fail to enroll in schools and dropping from the schools by the age of 12.
- 53% of girls compared to boys, are illiterate in the age group of 5 to 9.
Government Policies and Suggestions: National Policy on Education framed in such way that we can bring a change in the status of girls' education by the implementation of its strategies.
- As most of the population in India is belonged to rural areas, it is necessary to give support to these sections.
- If we give employment-based education by changing the curriculums, it will motivate the parents to send their girl-children to schools.
- Adult education programmes, both at rural and urban areas, help the women to improve their abilities and earning capacities.
- Vocational education has to be encouraged at school levels also.
- Information and training about Entrepreneurship, economic policies, banking, EXIM policies, etc. will be given to women at different stages of education.
The above said policies have to be implemented and evaluated both by the centre and state governments. Under the Umbrella of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Government has introduced different programmes for the development of girls' education.
Pubic outlook: With a lot of efforts and policies by the governments; science and technology; globalization, the views of the parents changed regarding girls' education. Cultural and traditional values of the people are changing; and are encouraging equalities and improving educational opportunities to girls. People understood and are providing education to girls and women as their involvement in family health, child mortality and malnutrition. If women are well educated, they can share the family burdens and thereby provides better standards of living to their children. Now-a-days women are competing to go hand in hand in all fields, like sports, politics, space technology, films. To encourage them, government is giving free education, reservations and employment opportunities also.
Conclusion: Education is a crucial factor for the development of an individual, thereby to the nation. As all we know for every successful man, there is a woman behind him. Let's educate girls for the better future and prosperity of the Nation.