Challenges Encountered by Girls in the Course of their Education

Education serves as one of the most important tools to bring about the desired social change. It is the primary weapon that can be used to successfully combat the systemic disorders that currently rule society.

The girl child is an ignored species in our male-dominated society, which still practises gender bias. Sex bias is quite prevalent everywhere, whether it is in educational institutions or society in general. These prejudices cause hurdles for girls both in terms of attitude and application. The girls face difficulties in society in terms of social, economic, and educational problems. It has been observed that the social attitude toward girls’ education is generally negative. Poor family circumstances, taking care of young siblings, and housekeeping duties are also seen as factors affecting girls’ access to education. Female students are frequently compelled to abandon their studies. Parents’ perceptions of how expensive education is, family guidance, less literate or illiterate parents’ inability to afford counselling for further education, transportation, the co-educational problem, gender discrimination, and physical harassment are additional barriers.

It is generally accepted that education has numerous benefits for children. Many children, especially girls, are deprived of this benefit. Negative parental attitudes toward educating daughters are one of the crucial challenges. Parents often protest about girls’ insecurity when they attend school and college. Abduction, rape, and molestation of girls dampen parents’ and students’ enthusiasm for pursuing education beyond a certain age; they are then confined to their homes.When girls are compelled to marry young, they are often pulled out of school at a very critical age in their developmental years. The transition from primary to secondary education is key for girls to achieve the life skills they need to escape the cycle of poverty. Yet this is often the same time that many girls leave school due to early marriages. Lack of enthusiasm and interest on the part of the officials in charge of education is another issue in promoting girls’ education.

It is said that “the education of a boy means the education of a single person while the education of a girl means the education of the entire family.” Education is crucial for every child, regardless of gender. It is terrible that certain communities still discriminate against the education of girls. Education is the key to girls’ empowerment, prosperity, development, and welfare. From conception to death, girls are subject to discrimination. Girls continue to experience inequality and vulnerability in every sector, including the political, social, health care, and economic ones. They require empowerment in all spheres of life. Girls and women must swim against the current system, which calls for more strength to combat socially manufactured gender bias. Such strength comes from the process of empowerment, and empowerment will come from education. Educated girls are the weapons that yield a positive impact on society through their contribution at home and in professional fields. The Indian Education Commission of 1964–66 rightly emphasized, ” For the full development of our human resources, the improvement of homes, and the moulding of the character of children during the most impressionable years of their infancy, the education of girls is of greater importance than that of boys.”