A girl, belonging to one of the very backward districts of Bihar, was very intelligent and hardworking in her education. She wanted to become an IAS officer. However, her relatives in the village were pressuring her family for marriage. As she had already crossed the average age of marriage in that village, which was just 18-19 years, her family supported her and sent her for exam preparations with their support and hard work. She cracked the exam with flying colors. Looking at her achievement, girls in that village felt confident in themselves to do something in their life. She became the torchbearer of girls’ education in that village. This story is relatable to many girls in India, who, with her shining success, bring a change to their society, motivating other girls to do the same.

When you teach a boy, you develop an individual, but when you teach a girl, you develop a society. An educated girl understands what is best for her family and guides them in a proper way, thus educating the family. With her success, she motivates the girls of society to fight against odds. In this essay, we are going to discuss how an educated girl educates her family and develops the society. Then, we will discuss the challenges, steps taken to mitigate them, and finally what could be done further.

During Ancient times (Rig Vedic Age) when Indian society was based on reasoning and rationalism, women were allowed for education. They were allowed to join the sabha samiti and read the Vedas. Because of this, the constitution of women was better as they had a choice in marriage, and widow remarriage was allowed, resulting in a prospering society.

Even during the 19th century, when Indians and Britishers realized the importance of women’s education, they took a series of reforms to promote it through the opening of girls’ schools and policies for women’s education. As a result, educated women participated in huge numbers in freedom struggle, social evil struggle, and finally helped in achieving holistic independence.

Educating Girl: Means Educating the Family

An educated girl, being aware of her reproductive rights, makes other women of her family aware of these rights. Not just awareness, but they also demand this from her family members like birth control rights, use of contraceptives, etc.

An educated girl demands marriage of her choice. This breaks the walls of caste endogamy. This provides them with ‘right of dignity’ and sensitizes her family members.

An educated girl never tolerates domestic violence and sensitizes her family about this evil, thus educating her family.

Evils of Son Meta Preferences can only be stopped by an educated girl. As she understands that girls and boys are the same and can do the same amount of work. This helps in breaking the stereotypes of the family.

An educated mother, being the first teacher of her children, will teach her child the necessary values of respecting women, not beating her, equality of gender, etc. This gradually evolves the family teaching.

Educating Girl: Means Educating the Society

When a girl belonging to a village becomes successful, this encourages other families to promote their daughter/sister for education. Even the girls feel confident in themselves. Thus through their successes, they promote girls’ education in the society—a very desirable change.

An educated girl will not tolerate any sort of violence happening to girls/women in their society. She will make the victim aware of her rights and the methods to seek justice. This will create deterrence among male members in attacking female members of their family. Gradually this will lead to behavioral change in the society.

An educated girl will never support the institution of ‘dowry’. She will make everyone aware of its negative consequences, and gradually the institution will dilute.

‘Population control’ in any society cannot be achieved without girl education. A crucial pillar of family planning is an educated girl. As an educated girl better understands when to give birth and when to stop, consequently leading to birth rate control.

An educated girl seeking a route of political change to bring change to society. Being the leader of a group and aware of what’s happening wrong against women in society, she prioritizes her goals and vision regarding women empowerment through awareness generation and education promotion bringing change to society.

An educated girl leading women’s movements against atrocities. Women’s movements like liquor ban in the villages of Andhra Pradesh, candle march against rape victims bring change to society.

Challenges in Educating Girl

As education for girls can bring revolutionary change to society and the family, then why are we not educating women? To address this question, we are going to discuss the challenges preventing girls’ education.

‘Patriarchy’-based Indian society where male members take decisions for the family sees girl education as a mere expense and thinks only of their duty towards their daughter (sister) is her marriage.

Women have been under ‘false consciousness’ that their duty is to serve their husband, brother, father, son. And if they are doing this right then they are empowered.

Family members are always biased towards a son for education, doing extra expenses for their education instead of spending on the girl child.

Though enrollment of girls in primary school has been near universalized, the problem is of ‘dropout’. Girls drop out because of the absence of proper menstrual hygiene, absence of toilets, etc.

Sexual harassment fears also discourage them from taking higher education and jobs. Compared to their male counterparts, they are paid less. The WEF report says India has a 34% gender wage gap.

Girls and women are stereotyped for their housework, and they spend a significant amount of time in unpaid care services.

Furthermore, women are facing discrimination in their jobs in the form of a glass ceiling in higher posts and occupational segregation. In fact, more than 90% of employed girls are working in informal sectors.

Steps taken by the government

Considering the prevailing grim situation girls are facing in achieving education along with the importance of girls’ education, the government has taken numerous steps in this regard.

Amendment to the Hindu code Bill allowing girls equal inheritance rights. As social equality can only be achieved after economic equality.

Sukanya Samriddhi scheme, where parents can save their money for their daughter’s higher education. Through ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’, the government is providing elementary education to all girls.

Schemes like KIRAN, INSPIRE for encouraging girls to take education in the science stream.

A few state governments have reserved seats for girls in state government jobs, enabling girls to take administrative posts to educate the society.

New education power has provided various provisions for controlling dropouts like toilet construction in schools, sanitary dispenser machines, etc.

Sexual Harassment at Workplace Act to prevent and protect employed girls from sexual harassment.

But still, a lot needs to be done. In schools, girls need to be educated about their reproductive rights. Regular counseling should be done, especially in areas with low performance on girls’ education. Reservation in controlling government jobs to enhance their representation in administration. The role of Anganwadi workers, ASHA workers becomes important in spreading awareness towards girl education. Hence through these efforts, we can educate the girl. Such that an educated girl can educate the family and develop the society.