In recent times, education has become a crucial element in order to ensure the means of earning a living. With automation having taken over the majority of the landscape of menial and physical tasks, the job sector has been more focused lately on jobs that require strong mental skill sets, and educated individuals are more likely to fit that criteria. In today’s world education directly influences the ability of people to earn, and the more people earn, greater will be the GDP of the country, which is one of the most important measures of a country’s development. Therefore, it is crucial that the youth of India have access to complete secondary education regardless of their gender or caste, in order to be eligible for high-paying job opportunities.
However, due to long standing patriarchal beliefs, girls’ education in rural areas is afforded little importance. The thinking behind this is that it is not ‘worthwhile’ to send a girl to school or ‘a wastage of resources’ since she will eventually be married off and will have her ties with the family severed. Financial constraints also play a major role in this, since the parents often think that the money spent in education will be better utilised as part of her inevitable dowry. In some cases, although the parents are willing to send their girls to school, safety concerns arise as well, as schools are often very far away from villages. Another obstacle in the path of a girl’s education is child marriage, which shackles young girls with the burden of taking care of the family at a very tender age, leading to deteriorating health. This can be overcome by enforcing the law and making those who participate in arranging such marriages aware of the punitive consequences of such an act.
‘Poori Padhai Desh ki Bhalai’ is a campaign being led by CRY (Child Rights and You) that aims towards the completion of girls’ education across several states of India. It aims to create awareness about the importance of the role of a complete education towards the empowerment and upliftment of women. The phrase ‘Poori Padhai, Desh ki Bhalai’ means “Complete education, betterment of the country” and it tackles the ages old problem of gender inequality when it comes to educational opportunities—because although efforts are being made by the government nationwide to encourage the education of girls, they are yet to reach the same level as boys in literacy, higher education enrolment and completion rates.
Social change can be brought about only by members of the society, and society will never be able to progress as long as half of its members remain voiceless and powerless. There is no invisible, outer force that can build or break social values and norms. Change quite literally starts from within. Education enables a person to look past the blinkers of societal prejudice and identify the need for change where it is due. It allows individuals to be perceptive to opinions and critically think about them. Most importantly, it helps us break barriers we thought were invisible. Education, in this scenario, is the spark of flame that lights the fire for social change, by uniting people all around the world through knowledge and belief. If only one girl in a village has a complete education, the entire village will experience the fruits of prosperity, and be encouraged to send their youth to follow in her footsteps. Educated girls are significantly less likely to be forced into child marriage, and thus when they do get married and have children, it is at an age when they are more mature and equipped with the required knowledge about health complications during pregnancy or childbirth. This significantly reduces maternal mortality rate, improves the chances of the child being born healthy and contributes towards an overall healthier community.
Thus it is evident that educating girls reaps benefits for the entire community they form a part of, which is why it is important to work towards a future where they receive all the opportunities they deserve. This can be done in many ways. Financial support in the form of scholarships and stipends can be provided to families to encourage them to send their children to school. Efforts can be made to sensitise the masses about issues regarding gender inequality; male members of the family should be taught to be supportive and encouraging instead of teaching the women to be subservient and quiet. Poor rural families should be made to realise that once the girl child receives education and is able to earn income, she can provide for her family and help break the cycle of poverty that affects all of them negatively.
The quality of infrastructure of the schools and the administration also plays a huge role in the long-term retention of students. A complete education is only half of the battle, the other half is the quality of the education. Improving the infrastructure of already existing schools in rural areas and appointing well-trained teachers is also a necessary step. Up-to-date infrastructure and supportive teachers together form an environment that is conducive to learning and in which students feel safe and heard.
A complete education reaps lifelong benefits and paves the way for societal development. Ensuring educational opportunities for the girl child ensures a better future for them as participating, income-earning and useful members of society and enables them to contribute towards the betterment of the country. This makes the ‘Poori Padhai, Desh ki Bhalai’ campaign crucial, not just to pave the way for brighter futures of the young girls, but also to provide for the betterment and development of the country as a whole.