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Women's Access to Education

by Mohammad Abdul Jabbar
Bangladesh. the biggest tropical delta emerge* to be the most densely populated state Bangladeshi# are Identified by ethnologists to have originated from a branch of Indo Aryans from central Asia during the second millennium A Dravidian and Mongoloid admixture are not too tnevtdent in its physical
B^a to the met easterly of the Indo-European Ian guages evolved through Prakrit and have deep Influence of Pali. Arabic. Persian and EngMl. It owes its bane from Sanskrit Cultural vehicle of Bangladesh to Bm^s - a Ian guage with m^to. literary tradl tian attributed by both Muslims and Hindus.
Bangladesh abound* In a predominantly Muslim tradl Uon in the indigenous Hindu and Buddhist setting This mixed heritage provide for rational understanding of its socio- cultural and even economic situation a* these are obtained today
Sex Differential*
The society, though pot suffer* from the belief of Original Sin, tend to cherish male preference. Even moder ately literate an settled people take pride in having more sons than girls and at the same time, take undue pleasure against fellow families with preponderantly larger number of girls Families compete for worldly gains. Thus, emnuml-cally males symbolize to be additive and females subtractive factors so far as this competition px-s
The edge of girls over boy* among Muslims are a lot better with Islam asserting its place, however, its influence couldn't percolate deep enough to melt
prevailing dowry system In marriage of girls In some form. This social course, endemic and so exacerbated among rte tng elites has pushed hard of . tate, to enact preventive law*
The next cycle for the married girl" leave room for satisfaction barring exceptions, Rar women save money and also arc earner*. A* the proverb goes "Womenfolks treasury is never empty". Further up. when the children are grownup she aoquires a tot of authority tn the household and she may and she may become the dominant partner For motherhood is considered to be the pinnacle of fulfillment of girls career In this society It may be concluded by saying that most of the impor tant deities worshipped among Hindus arc females — person! fled commonly in goddess Laks ml. who is believed to provide wealth and sustenance.
Social Priorities:
UntvcrsaHsation of education at the Primary level has been receiving priority with population control, employment generation and food au larky tn the national development plans
Declared a# the fundamental human right in the country# Constitution, basic education |or literacy) has been re cetving highest degree of poht ical support. Promotion of girls education has been explicitly sought for In the national edu cation policy and programmes since 1974.
Nationalisation of Secondary Schools and colleges has been quite liberal during the decade past covering large number of institutions exclusively meant for offering education to women in keeping with the
spirit of ensuring brooder female participation In higher
Muston to the b.iMc’fect that
effort* aimed at an Improve menl in the household condl (ton of the majority must precede adequate resource al Iw a Uon for continuing successful programmes in education, particularly for women
Let . nmv have glimpse of relevant quotas on the treatment of sexes tn the Holy Quran. Conaritutton and con temporary Law*:
The Holy Quran states —
(a) It Is he who created you from a single person and made his mate of like nature tn order that he might dwell with her (in tove). (Sura 7 189)
(b) Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That t* purer for them.
Lo Al lah Is aware of what they do. And tel) the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and lo display their ornaments only that which I* apparent and to draw their vials over their bosom*. And not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or father# or husband's fathers or their sons
(Sura 14:31-32).
Bangladesh Constitution— Article IQ; Fundamental Principles of State Policy
slates as under:
The author Is Chie/.
Statistic Division of UANHE1S. Ministry of Education
Article 19,
The state shall endeavour to ensure equably of opportunity lo all citterns
Artfek 17: The slate shall adopt eficcUve measures for the purpose of fa) Establishing a uniform, mass oriented and universal system of education and extending free and com pulsory education lo all children lo such stage a* may be determined by taw
Artk le 29
Fundamental Hights
(I) There shall be equality of opportunity for all citizen* tn respect of employment or office la the service of the Republic
(2 ) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth, be Ineligible for or discriminated against In respect of any rm ploy menl or office in the service of the Republic
No law prejudicial lo sexes are known to be tn force at present.
Status of Education:
Literacy data by sex svagable from the population census reveal relatively slower improvement tn the literacy rale* for female* compared to mate*.
Literacy Rates by Sex (%)
The trend In Improvement In this rate appears more favourable in respect of females since 60s.
Al the Primary Level sartte-tpatton of girl# rose to 750 as against 27® only for boys in 1988 compared to the base year 1951 (- 1OO|
In the Secondary stage, girls are moving up signtfl cantly as well. Based on enrol ment data for 1960 the Index of girls enrolment stands at 348. as against 396 for hoys
In colleges 572 girls were enrolled in 1988, as against, only 136 compared to the base year 1975 (■ 1OO)
Conclusion:
The foregoing discussions and slaUstics reflect that despite awareness of the problem* faced and acceptance, to a degree, appropriate policy measures and adopting pro grammes for Women * access to education, there are certain paradoxes about this issue. Viewed against the immediate perspective of female participation In productive activities In Bangladesh. the situation is rather bleak tn government and local bodies. FREPD (a) found employment rale of aromen in the NGOs to be 48% tn 1986 To conclude 11 may be sold that centurion tradition of separate female domain are to be seen not only in its historic and demographic facta but also tn the behavioral norms of the people. Thus education for women tn alienation detached from economic gains are not likely to be a self generating enterprise demanding unwisely and heavily on the public exchequer for a tong time to come The author Is Chie/.
Statistic Division of UANHE1S. Ministry of Education