Women Education

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Introduction Significance of Women Education Women Education and Islam Locus and State of Women Education in Pakistan o Census of 1951 to 2009 o Present 2013 Barriers to Women Education Poverty as a Barrier Girl Child as Second Mother Bonded Labour System Cast System as a Barrier Dowry as Cordon Child Labour Practice Female Age at Marriage The Lower Enrolment Higher Dropout Rate among Girls from Schools Inadequate School Facilities Lack of Qualified Female Teachers Lack of Transport Facilities Lack of Hostel Facilities for Girls Fear of Sexual Harassment Fixed Schooling Hours Inferiority, Subservience and Domesticity Ineffective Law Enforcing Machinery Demographic Factors Poor Political Will and Conviction Effects and Impacts of Women Education Advantages Disadvantages Recommendations for Refining the Literacy Level of Women in Pakistan: Senior management commitment to gender issues Career development programs for women Exposure of women to top management Leadership development programs for women Job rotation for women Recruitment of women at senior-level positions Regular surveys of women to assess job satisfaction Mentoring programs for women Child care facilities at work Conclusion

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Women Education
"Give me a few educated mothers; I shall give you a heroic race." Napoleon Pakistan is the sixth largest country in the world so far as population is concerned. But so far as education is concerned it is a backward country. In past, women did not receive any education at all. They were not allowed to come out of the four walls of their houses. Domestic works were their only education. During the British rule in India some noble social thinkers of the time paid their attention to the education of woman in our country. Quaid-e-Azam the founder of Pakistan was the famous reformer who gave emphasis on the education of women. He put forth a very strong argument. "No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you. We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our women have to live. In day to day life, the real problems are faced first by women and then the same problems are conveyed to men for solution. If the women are educated, they can solve all the problems of their houses. Very often, the working men of some families become handicapped in unfortunate accidents. In that situation, the complete burden of the family rests on the women of the families. To meet this exigency women should be educated. They should be employed in different spheres. Women can work as teachers, doctors, lawyers and administrators. Educated women are good mothers. Moreover, education of women can be helpful in eradicating many social evils such as dowry problem, unemployment problem, etc. Social peace, progress and prosperity can easily be established by educating women hence someone has rightly said. Man and woman are like the two sides of a coin. Without one, the other cannot exist. They help each other in every sphere. So education should be given to both man and woman. Further, women are the mothers of the future generation. If women are uneducated, the future generations will be uneducated. One of the recommendations of National Policy on Education (2009) by the Government of Pakistan is to promote empowerment of women through the agency of education and it is considered to be a land mark in the approach to women's education of illiterate. Women' education has assumed special significance in the context of Pakistan's planned development, as it is incorporated in every Five-year plans as the major programme for the development of women. Universalization of elementary education, enrolment and retention of girls in the schools, promotion of crutches, raising number of schools and colleges of arts , science, and professional for girls, politechniques, girls hostels, multipurpose institutions and adult education programmes are some of the steps being taken by both central and state governments in Pakistan to boost-up women's education.

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Significance of Women Education:

It is said that If we educate a man, we educate a man only, but if we educate a woman, we educate the whole family. This highlights the importance of female education. It is a fact that women are the first teachers of their children. It is in their lap that the children receive the very first lessons. Hence, if mothers are well-educated, they can play an important role in shaping and moulding of their sons and daughters. Napoleon was once asked, what the great need of France was. He simply answers "Nation's progress is impossible without trained and educated mothers. If the women of my country are not educated, about half of the people will be ignorant." Such was the opinion of Napoleon about educating the women-folk. Our opinion too must not differ from Napoleon. We must give up our conservative outlook and create an atmosphere in which not a single woman remains uneducated. Women have three major roles to perform in the course of their life. They have to discharge their duties as good daughters, good wives and good mothers. Apart from these important duties, they have to prove themselves as good citizens of a free democracy. Hence, it is necessary to give women a different kind of education from the one given to boys. Their education should be such as may enable them to discharge their duties in a proper way. From education they become fully matured in all the fields of life. Educated women are well aware of their duties and rights. They can contribute in the development of the country in the same way as men do.

Women Education and Islam:

Empowerment of the women is an essential component of the political and social development of society. The growth and development of a community or civil society depends upon the growth and development of its individuals in general and the women in particular. There is no doubt about the fact that men and women are equal, but women have a vital role in the over-all development of the society and the nation. Women are equal partners in the overall growth and development of the family, community and society. Women have been given a position of pride in every religion. In Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and other religions they are respected and due importance is given to their role and rights. In the Holy Quran a complete Sura, "Sura-i-Nisa" is devoted for the role, welfare, rights and duties of the women. No student of the comparative religious philosophy can fail to observe that at the fountain of every spiritual faith and at the basic fabric of every civilized society, stands a woman whose sympathy blesses the work of infusing a new life into humanity. Women are the foundation of a family, society and finally the Nation. Islam teaches that education of men and women is of equal importance. The Holy Quran holds learning as priceless and tells that only the learned can understand the

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signs of Allah and His wisdom, and come close to Him. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) has said: "It is the duty of every Muslim man and woman to seek knowledge." The Holy prophet had keen interest in the education of women. His own wife, Hazrat Ayesha (r.a) was highly learned and he is reported to have said to his companions: Learn half of the faith from Ayesha. After the death of the Holy prophet his companions frequently asked her for guidance in matters on which there was a difference of opinion and she was considered an authority on many vital issues and a large number of authentic traditions were narrated by her.

Locus and State of Women Education in Pakistan:

In spite of the forceful intervention by a bastion of female privilege, feminist critics, constitutional guarantees, protecting laws and sincere efforts by the state governments and central government through various schemes and programmes over the last 65 years and above all, the United Nation's enormous pressure with regard to the uplift of the plight of women in terms education is still in the state of an enigma in Pakistan for several reasons. The 2009 Census report indicates that literacy among women as only 45 percent It is virtually disheartening to observe that the literacy rate of women Pakistan is even much lower to national average i.e. 58% .The growth of women's education in rural areas is very slow. This obviously means that still large womenfolk of our country are illiterate, the weak, backward and exploited. Moreover education is also not available to all equally. Gender inequality is reinforced in education which is proved by the fact that the literacy rate for the women is only 45% against 57% of men as per 2009 Census. Year of Census 1951 1961 Male 19.2% 26.9% Female 12.2% 8.2% Total 16.4% 16.3% Definition of Being "Literate" One who can read a clear print in any language One who is able to read with understanding a simple letter in any language One who is able to read and write in some language with understanding One who can read newspaper and write a simple letter One who can read a newspaper and write a simple letter, in any language

1972 1981 1998 2004 2009

30.2% 35.1% 54.8% 66.25% 69%

11.6% 16.0% 32.0% 41.75% 45%

21.7% 26.2% 43.9% 54% 57%

According to the above said figures, surprisingly the female literacy rate has increased at a faster pace than the male literacy during the decade 1961 -2013. The growth is
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almost 6 times e.g. 8.2 % in 1961 and 45 % in 2009. Moreover, as of January 2013, our literacy rate is 58% and the ratio of the literacy rate of women is 46% as compared to 69% of men. From this analysis, one can infer that still the female literacy rate (only half of the female population are literates) is wadding behind male literacy rate (three fourth of the male population are literates). The rate of school dropouts is also found to be comparatively higher in case of women. This higher rate of illiteracy of women is undoubtedly attributing for women dependence on men and to play a subordinate role. The lack of education is the root cause for women' exploitation and negligence. Only literacy can help women to understand Pakistans constitutional and legislative provisions that are made to strengthen them. Thus promoting education among women is of great important in empowering them to accomplish their goals in par with men in different spheres of life.

Barriers to Women Education in Pakistan:

Women education is a multi-dimensional phenomenon. No single factor or cause can be held responsible for very low literacy rate of women in Pakistan. Subsequently it is associated with combination of many factors including social, cultural, economic, educational, demographic, political and administrative and so on. The following are the some of the important factors which could be attributed for the present poor state of affairs of womenfolk in education. Poverty as a Barrier: The conventional view of illiteracy is that it is closely linked to poverty. While that is certainly true, there are numerous other factors responsible for the low levels of literacy, especially among females, and it is only by understanding the impact of these other factors that significant and meaningful increases in illiteracy can be achieved. Girl Child as Second Mother: In many families girl children play the role of second mother by shouldering the responsibilities of household work such as looking after the sibling, fetching water, collecting firewood, bringing fodder for cattle, cleaning and cooking etc. In rural Pakistan especially in poor families this traditional sex role makes girl child handicapped and conditioned by the attitude of mother and the family and discourages girl child to go school as it becomes secondary. Bonded Labour System: This social evil is a quite discouraging phenomena which stand as barrier for girl's education in rural areas for the underprivileged families of washer men and agricultural labour, scheduled caste and scheduled tribes. Cast System as a Barrier: Children belonging to low caste families are forced to learn skills and work ways and not encouraged to go to school due to various factors in the sphere of strict instruction/threat from high caste communities for their selfish motives of keeping them as domestic servants and child labourers in the farms or factory. Dowry as Cordon: Dowry system and other social practices act as main causes of the neglect of the girl child and discrimination against girl child including the deprivation of right of education. In many families especially poor and down-trodden

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think that if their daughters are educated more, they have to accumulate more assets and properties to provide as dowry in large proportion at the time of marriage, so prefer rather to either stop their children with average education and so on but never higher education. This prevails more in underprivileged families and communities Child Labour Practice: A large segment of child population in Pakistan is engaged in child labour practices. Pakistans last survey of child labour took place in 1996, showing the country has three million child labourers. But the poverty created in the wake of disasters like the 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods have undoubtedly driven many more children to work. According to Mannan Rana, the Child and Adolescent Protection Specialist with UNICEF, as many as 10 million children could be working in Pakistan indulged in carpet making , bricks, mining , quarrying ,glass, bangles, match and fireworks, gem polishing ,handloom works. Zari, embroidery, coir industry, domestic works, construction etc. In most of these industries girl children are preferred for high productivity and low cost. Female Age at Marriage: There is high association of female literacy with female age at marriage. By and large the female age at marriage of 16 as prescribed by various legislations not at all followed in Pakistan. It is very much ignored and neglected by the families of parents with low literacy and illiteracy background. This obnoxious practice discourages female children to continue their schooling and higher education as they enter into family life at the early age which is not advisable from the physical and mental health point of view and also of social development. The Lower Enrolment: The lower enrolment of girls in schools is one of the foundational factors which stand as stumbling block for women empowerment in Pakistan. Reliable sources indicate that more than 50 % of the Non-Starters (those who have never been to school) are girls. According to the latest statistics, 5 out of every ten girls in the age group of 6-11 are still not enrolled in schools. Higher Dropout Rate among Girls from Schools: The incidence and prevalence of dropouts among girls especially in rural, tribal and slums areas seem to be quite high. According to available sources, occurrence of drop-out and stagnation amongst girls is nearly twice that of boys all over Pakistan. Inadequate School Facilities: In general the school environment for girls in Pakistan is not really interesting and encouraging. The subjects taught in schools are also not related to the environment of girl children. The methods of teaching are mostly outdated, rigid and uninteresting. There are still hundreds of schools with poor basic amenities such as drinking water, latrine and toilet facilities, improper building, and inadequate number of teachers' especially female teachers preferable for any parents for safety of their girl children from different types of exploitation and abuse. Lack of Qualified Female Teachers: Girls are more likely to attend schools if they have female teachers. Girls are more comfortable and more vocal with lady teachers, thus actively focusing and participating in the learning process. Also, parents especially in rural areas - are hesitant to send their girls to schools that have only male teachers. Nearly all committees and commissions that have looked into illiteracy have recommended increased recruitment of women teachers.

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Lack of Transport Facilities: Particularly in rural areas, transportation is needed for girls to attend middle and secondary schools, which are often far away from their homes. Primary education is often accessible much closer, but secondary education facilities assume that children will drop out as they age, and therefore fewer schools are established to cater to older children. Necessarily, therefore, these schools tend to be inaccessibly far away from many school-age girls. This perverse assumption must be discarded, and equal numbers of schools at all levels must be established. Lack of Hostel Facilities for Girls: Many girls desirous of pursuing education above middle level, facilities for which are available away from their homes, cannot avail themselves of these facilities due to lack of hostel arrangements. Girls, particularly those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes would continue their education at middle and above levels if they could find free or inexpensive residential facilities nearer the educational institution. Fear of Sexual Harassment: Parents often complain about insecurity for girls attending schools. Instances of abduction, rape and molestation of girls dampen the enthusiasm of parents and girl students in pursuing education beyond a certain age; thereafter they remain bound to their homes. Hence, parents are hesitant to send their girls to schools that have only male teachers. Nearly all committees and commissions that have looked into illiteracy have recommended increased recruitment of women teachers. Fixed Schooling Hours: Fixed schooling hours do not suit girls in rural areas, as they are needed for domestic work at home or in farms and fields during these hours. This is one of the causes of lower participation rates of girls in education. The enrolment rates of girls and their retention can be improved if educational facilities are made available to girls during periods suitable to them when they are free from domestic chores. Inferiority, Subservience and Domesticity: The female child in Pakistans culture especially in rural, tribal and poor families is expected to develop the qualities of inferiority; subservience and domesticity which place sever limitations on her education and development Ineffective Law Enforcing Machinery: Pakistans constitution and various legislations pertaining to education to children assure free and compulsory education for all children of this nation but unfortunately the enforcement machinery fail to discharge its duties and responsibilities to the satisfaction of the public interest and welfare of women Demographic Factors: The high population growth rate, rapid urbanisation, migration etc. also attribute immensely for the poor literacy level of women and girls in Pakistan Poor Political Will and Conviction: Government officials, policy makers, politicians etc. of our country have neither political will nor conviction for the empowerment of women in general.

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Effects and Impacts of Women Education:

Education is a potent tool in the emancipation and empowerment of women. The greatest single factor which can incredibly improve the status of women in any society is education. It is indispensable that education enables women not only to gain more knowledge about the world outside of her hearth and home but helps her to get status, positive self-esteem, and self-confidence , necessary courage and inner strength to face challenges in life. Advantages: The female education is highly necessary for the society. Because mothers are the first teachers of the children. They are the first teachers of the future citizens of the country. If the mothers be ignorant, they cannot take proper care of the children. They cannot infuse good qualities in them. Hence, the very foundation of our people will remain weak, if the females will be ignorant the society will lose the services of a powerful part of our society. So, female education is quite necessary for the girls. The women are in no way inferior to men. In western countries the women are writing books, driving cars and aero-planes, running banks and big business firms and doing research in the laboratory. There are women scientists, women officers and women writers. The typewriters, the news agents, the sales agents the commercial solicitors are mostly women. Hence, we cannot decry the women-folk in our country. Disadvantages: But the female education has some disadvantages too. It is found in Europe and America that the educated women do not want to bear children. They do not like their children. They leave them in the nursery, more out of their disgust than for any other reason. But the defect does not lie in education as a principle. The defect lies in the curriculums. If they learn what the males learn then naturally they will like to be like males. So, separate courses of study should be prepared for the females. Though it is apparent that education facilitates women to procure a job and supplement the income of family and achieve social status. Education especially of women has a major impact on health and nutrition as an instrument of developing a sustainable strategy for population control. Moreover educated women can play an equally important role as men in nation building. Thus there is no denying fact that education empowers women. Indeed the different organs of the United Nations and experts on womens liberation argue for women's education as the basic step to attain equality with men.

Recommendations for Refining the Literacy Level of Women in Pakistan:

The following measures can be considered for bringing phenomenal change in the plight women's education and empowerment in Pakistan Since the prevailing situation of poor or less enrolment of girls in schools closes the doors for development and prosperity of future generation of women, concerted efforts must be initiated jointly by the government, parents and civil society to achieve universal enrolment for girls without any compromise. The enrolment can
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be made even mandatory for every girls by the government in the realm of compulsory education. The Ministry of Education both at Centre and State level should work out strategic steps to stop firmly the ongoing high drop outs among girls especially in rural, tribal and slums areas with the serious involvement of voluntary organisations in every locality to realize zero drop-out among girls. The poverty stricken families can be identified through proper research and necessary poverty alleviation services be provided to strengthen the income thereby to enable the families to send their children to schools and colleges without much financial difficulties Bonded Child labour and Child labour practice must be abolished with strict administrative measures and the relieved children form bondage should be integrated into schools with suitable defence social mechanism. Appropriate steps should be taken by the educational authorities with the participation of communities in order to bring the girl children to the main stream of education and development at every level including family and community. The female child in every Pakistani family irrespective of socio-economic status should be moulded to overcome the challenges of inferiority; subservience and domesticity which place sever limitations on her education and development. Every family irrespective its socio-cultural and economic background can take it a challenge to bring up their girl children as dignified human being with empowerment in physical, mental, economic and social dimensions of life. The Midday meal scheme and other educational supportive services like free text books, Note books , Fee uniforms , Free Bicycles, Free bus , scholarships Free bus pass and so on as done in the state of Tamil Nadu can be provided in all states and union territories to lift up the literacy level among girls As social evils like dowry, child marriage , caste system and other practices deprive rights of education for children belonging to poor and underprivileged families and communities, they should eliminated through well-designed packages of mass awareness programmes and social welfare measures with full support of public, political parties, NGOs and government agencies. The electronic and print media can play significant role in building a good and positive image about girls and women in general in the society by giving no focus for such advertisements and news fetching commercial gain at the cost of depicting women as an object. This would help in changing the societys attitudes towards girls and their roles to treat every girl or woman as human being with self-respect and dignity. Government, voluntary sector and philanthropic organisations and individuals should come forward to provide free education for poor girls and provide free hostel facilities for girls studying in schools and colleges in every state of Pakistan. This will certainly encourage children of poor families to pursue good and higher education without much impediments The schools of social work, departments of women studies, Women Universities and other educational institutions in hand with NGOs and social service organisations such as Rotary Clubs , Lions Clubs , women lib organisations associations can work together to improve the educational status of the womenfolk in this country on mutual respect and understanding. The parents of children belonging to poor, underprivileged families must be specially educated with proper social formula to help them to understand the significance of education for their girl children as foundation for empowerment

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Government, NGOs and public should work hand in hand to implement the minimum age at marriage (21and above) Awareness should be created to institutionalise it as a traditional practice cut crossing castes, religions, community etc. Government officials, policy makers, political parties and others should have adequate political will and conviction to empower women in Pakistan without double standard mind. The law enforcing machinery should be made really effective with efficient monitoring vigilant system to implement the constitutional and legislative provisions and administrative measures to assure free and compulsory education for all children of this nation without any gender discrimination.

Conclusion:
Women are an integral part of our society. The idea of human race can't be conceived without the existence of a woman. Women in the holy books have been bestowed with a very high status and have been adored with various adjectives. She is called as mother of the nation and it is said that education of the mother means education of the entire family. Though, female education is the need of the hour and without educating the women of the country we can't hope for a developed nation. Women play a vital role in the all-round progress of a country. If we want to make democracy successful, women must be educated. They are the real builders of happy homes. Society runs on two wheels, both the wheels must be equally strong to run smoothly. It is a good sign that today's women are not considered a weaker sex. They are being taught properly right from their childhood. As a result we see women working in almost every field. They work even in police and tense departments. Our constitution grants them equal rights not more rights as compared to men. Although legally and theoretically women are now considered as equal to men yet there are people who refuse to give them their due. They think that the women are inferior to men and ill treat them and misbehave with them. All right thinking people should protest against it. They should try to broaden the outlook of those who have conservative feelings for women. Female education is important and all the impediments must be removed from the way of their education. In a nutshell, we have to take a view to extend a cooperative attitude in imparting education to the women folk. Women can play a vital role in the social, economic and political development of the society provided they are conscious of their rights and responsibilities. In this regard, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru has justly observed; "In order to awaken the people, it is the women, who has to be awakened. Once she is on the move, the house hold moves and the country moves and thus we build the India of tomorrow....."

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