1. Secondary Education of Girls Challenges Ahead
Author: ANITA NUNA
(Senior Lecturer, Department of Women’s Studies, NCERT, Delhi)
Published in : Journal of Indian Education,
February 2009
An Adaptation…………

2. Rationale for Adaptation
Since the readers of Perspectives on Volunteering, POV: Views You can Use are mainly Volunteers from diverse segments of the population, CRY Volunteer Action has adapted this informative and analytical article as a simplified ppt.

3. Introduction to the paper
This paper aims at :
Identifying reasons that affect the participation of girls in Secondary education and suggests measures that would enable girls to complete at least 10 years of schooling.
Providing a descriptive analysis of post-independence initiatives to promote girls participation in secondary education. It also includes the pros and cons with regard to access of girls to Secondary education across States.
Methodology of Study :
Recommendations and analysis based on secondary data, field observations and over 100 interviews with Parents and School girls of States like Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

4. Status of Secondary Education of Girls in India
86% of total children who are out of school in the age group of 6-10 yrs in India are girls. ( Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report, 2007)
Only half (51%) of the total girls enrolled in Class I reach Class VIII and only 1/3 rd (36%) reach Class X.
In case of SC girls, 43% are able to go to class VIII and 37% go to class X.
In case of ST girls, only 38% get to class VIII and 21% to Class X.
Selected Educational Statistics MHRD, GOI figures
Out of 100 rural girls in the age group of years: 11 reported completion of Middle School, 6 completed Secondary School and only 3 were able to complete Higher Secondary level education as compared to 17 urban girls who reported completion of Middle school, 14 Secondary School and 9 Higher Secondary level.
Out of 100 Muslim girls in the age group of years: 10 Muslim rural girls reported completion of Middle School, 4 Secondary and only 2 were able to complete Higher Secondary.
(National Sample Survey (NSS) 61st round data of NSSO)

5. Recommendations by various Committees and Commissions since 1950
Secondary Education
Commission (1953)
Opening separate schools for girls
and certain conditions for
co-educational schools
The Durga Bai
Deshmukh
Committee (1959)
Introduction of a number of measures, such as
scholarships, subsidized transport and hostels
where necessary
Need to evolve Innovative methods to enable
the girl child to attend secondary schools at
greater distances if such facility
is not available in a village.
National Policy
on Education (NPE) and
Secondary Education of
Girls(1986)

6. Recommendations since 1950 contd…
Extending access to secondary education
by setting up new schools in the
unserved areas to ensure increase in
participation of children in secondary
education and of girls in particular
NPE revised in 1992
National Policy for the
Empowerment of
Women, 2001
Special mention on reducing the gender gap
in secondary education.

7. Secondary Education of Girls in the 5 Year Plans: (1950-2002)
First five year plan ( ) Laid down targets for secondary education of girls to go up to 10 per cent. Focus on special facilities to be provided for meeting the special needs of girls above the age of eleven.
Fourth five year plan ( ) stressed on providing sanitary facilities for girls.
Sixth plan ( ) emphasized recruitment of women teachers and also construction of residential quarters for women teachers.
Seventh Five year plan ( ) declared that girls’ education will be free up to the Higher Secondary stage.
Eighth Five Year Plan ( ) stressed on expansion of Secondary schools particularly to cater to the needs of deprived sections like girls, SCs/STs and in rural areas.
Ninth Plan ( ) recognized education of girls as a non-negotiable area. The National Agenda for Governance stated that it would institute plans for providing free education for girls up to college level, and which included hostel facilities for girls in tribal and remote areas.

8. Secondary Education of Girls in the 5 Year Plans: (2002-2012) and other committees
Tenth plan ( ) viewed girls’ education as a major area of concern. The scheme of providing boarding and hostel facilities for girls was initiated in 1993 and has been revised with the intent of increasing girls’ enrolment at the Secondary level.
Under the programme of Balika Samridhi Yojna (BSY) the 10th plan focused on educating and empowering the girl child living below the poverty line with adequate financial support till she completed her Higher Secondary school.
Eleventh plan ( ) intended to create awareness about the plans and educate people in target groups.
The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) in 2005 examined the existing schemes and recommended free and compulsory education for girls’ up to the age of 18 years. The Committee has also recommended women teachers and women attendants in every institution and facilities for them.
The National Focus Group on Gender Issues in Education (2005) strongly advocated an increase in the budget allocated for education. The provision of accessible schools for girls in every area of the country would ensure that all girls gain equal access to education.

9. Secondary education – Primary responsibility of States.
Glimpses of Initiatives to Promote Secondary Education of Girls since 1950
Secondary education – Primary responsibility of States.
Some Central Government Initiatives :
Boarding and Hostel facilities for Girls ( )
Intensive program launched in 1993 to promote participation
of Muslim girls in Secondary education
Jawahar Navodaya Vidayalaya (JMV) in each district for providing
quality education to talented rural children with 1/3 reservation for girls.
National Programme of Education for Girls at Elementary Levels (NPEGEL) (2003)
Formed under Sarva Shiksa Abhiyan (SSA) to develop a Model Girl Child
friendly school at the cluster level (10 villages = 1cluster)
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV)- special initiative for dropouts and girls who have missed schooling due to several reasons Operational in 24 states and 1 union territory and provides support for opening of residential girls’ schools in educationally backward blocks.

10. Trends derived from the Data
Analysis: Pros and Cons in access and participation of girls in Secondary education
Based on :
Trends derived from the Data
Factors Collated From The Field Experiences

11. Trends Derived from the Data
The Expansion of Girls’
Enrolments:
Although there is an
Increase in enrolment
from 26% in 1970 to
42% in 2005, gender
disparities still prevail.
Rural Urban Disparities
in Growth of category
of Secondary Schools:
Although there is sharp increase in the
category of secondary schools in the
last 2 decades, the increase in number
of such schools seems to be more in
urban areas than rural areas
Continued Disparities in
Enrolment of
Scheduled Girls
and Non Scheduled Girls
in Secondary Education
Rural Urban Disparities in the
Expansions of Secondary Schools across States: Despite a substantial
increase in the category of secondary
schools in rural areas across country,
shortage of secondary schools in rural
areas of many states still persist.
Disparities in Girls’ Enrolment in
Secondary Classes across States:
42% enrollment
does not represent the actual situation.
According to MHRD, in 7 States and
1 union territory the enrolment
is lower than the national average of 42%.

12. Factors Collated From The Field Experiences
Stereotyped
gender roles:
Patriarchy continues
to dictate the
personal lives of girls
and women. They
believe traditional
gender roles (like
looking after children
and domestic chores)
do not need formal
education and
training.
Unfavorable cultural norms
and practices
Strong apprehension
that Higher education will
make girls averse to
community beliefs and traditions.
Lack of purpose
Why educate girls?
Why should we
spend for their
education?
They will be
Married anyway
Stringent Admission policies of Ashram Shalas, demotivates
parents to enroll their children. (Ashram Shalas have opened to facilitate access to
education of girls belonging to socially disadvantaged groups)
Early
Marriages
are a very
common
phenomena
Lack of easy access and non availability of schools
There are drop outs even
from families who support
girls education.
Lack of Women
Teachers in
rural areas

13. Recommendations by the Author:
At least one secondary school in every cluster on a priority basis.
The centrally sponsored scheme of strengthening boarding and hostel facilities for girls at the secondary and higher secondary level in 1993 should be expanded.
The admission norms of Ashram Shalas need modifications and more such Ashram Shalas to be opened in rural and remote areas.
The KGBV scheme run under SSA should be extended up to Class X.
The education of all girls up to the end of the secondary stage (Class X) should be made free as recommended by the CABE Committee.
The government should fix the tenure for every woman teacher to serve in rural / remote areas and make special provisions for those teachers, such as child care facilities for their children.
Early marriage needs to be addressed urgently by making all involved responsible.
Sustained advocacy to mobilize public support for girls’ education.