Integrating gender concerns (original) (raw)
Related papers
Barriers to Girls’ Education at the Elementary Level in India
The European Conference on Education 2020: Official Conference Proceedings, 2020
Gender inequality in India has remained a subject of considerable interest among the researchers. With about one-third population comprising of the youth, India has tried to improve access and quality of education to reap benefits of this demographic dividend. Despite its sustained efforts, studies have found that girls in India still face disadvantage in access to basic education as compared to their male counterparts. Both domestic and international studies point out many lacunae which ail girl education in India. This paper analyses the obstacles faced by girls in completing their education at elementary level. These factors arise out of social, economic, cultural and gender-based discrimination in society. This paper points out various aspects related to financial challenges, lack of gender-sensitive environment, security and safety issues, patriarchal mindset of society and low level of expenditure on girl education by the government. While there is no dearth of literature available on each of these issues individually, this paper presents a holistic picture of the challenges and issues faced by girls at school level, which is captured using qualitative data analysis. India has come a long way in achieving the goal of gender equality, yet its future course demands a re-look of the traditional methods being followed. Therefore, universalizing elementary education with gender equity requires addressing existing gender norms so that girls get equal access to the benefits of education.
Girls' School Education in India: A Complex Landscape of Progress and Challenges
2024
This article explores the evolving landscape of girls' school education in India, highlighting both significant progress and ongoing challenges. Over the past few decades, initiatives such as the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign and the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas have boosted enrollment rates, achieving near-gender parity at primary and upper primary levels. However, disparities persist, especially in marginalized communities, with higher dropout rates at secondary levels due to economic, social, and infrastructural barriers. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 offers a transformative vision with recommendations for inclusive education, emphasizing teacher training, financial support, and flexible curriculum reforms. Yet, for full educational equity, India must continue to address these systemic challenges, particularly for girls from rural and disadvantaged backgrounds.
What we Teach our Children: Gender Sensitivity within the Indian Curriculum
International Journal of English Learning & Teaching Skills, 2023
Equity and Equality are an integral part of any humane society. As a country with norms formulated and bills passed around gender disparity and equal education rights, India has come a long way to be gender inclusive when it comes to educating the youth. However, beyond the admittance of students in schools, the quality of education imparted to them acts as a measure of the child’s development. Despite the tremendous strides in technological and institutional aspects, the Indian curriculum still fares poorly in the discourse of gender sensitization. Gender inequality and societal stereotypes are an integral part of the kind of stories included in the Indian syllabi. The present study looks at the magnitude of gender inclusivity within the Indian curriculum by exploring the English textbooks for grades IX and X prescribed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The paper alludes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the country’s efforts in maintaining gender equality in the classroom; and draws a parallel to the content taught in a child’s formative years. By analyzing the manner in which gender roles, stereotypes, heteronormativity, and gender- based binaries are expressed within the high school textbooks, the study opens up an academic probe into the impact of rigid gender boundaries on a student’s mental health.
MAKING THE INDIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM GENDER SENSITIVE
Gender inequality is an issue that is prevalent across the globe today. In particular, India is amongst those that rank rather low in the attainment of gender equality and parity. This paper aims to provide provisions for a gender sensitive educational system by discussing the nuances of gender inequality. Moreover, it also discusses why it is necessary to bring about changes in the current educational system for a more gender sensitive society. In order to come up with approaches that would help with this process, relevant literature has been reviewed to ensure incorporation of a wider range of strategies to provide a gender sensitive learning environment. Gender disparity in literacy rates in India has been examined, and changes in the curriculum, extra-curricular activities, training for teachers, vocational training, etc. have been recommended. Constant monitoring of these practices and evaluation would maximise the benefits of an altered, more responsive system of Indian education. Attaining gender parity in education will not only build more considerate adults, but it is an important aspect of inclusive education. One can hope that it will prove to be helpful in educating students about issues related to the LGBTQ and transgender populations, and adding to a better and kinder society.
Elementary Education for Girls in India
Elementary Education for Girls in India, 2011
Educating girls has a catalytic effect on every dimension of economic development including high productivity, faster growth, high economic gains and a step towards empowerment of women. Educated women are also observed to be strong positive role models for female children. Gender discrimination makes girls the first sacrificial victim to be withdrawn from school when times get tough, and it is a more relative disadvantage in SC or ST families. The article examines the causes of gender disparities in access to education and details the initiatives taken at the governmental and societal levels to address this issue.
Girl Child Education in India – A Situational Analysis
ANUSANDHAN – NDIM's Journal of Business and Management Research
The paper examines the issue of women's access to education in India. Drawing on existing literature and various statistics concerning women's education, the paper provides an overview of the state of education with respect to women and highlights some of the issues and barriers to women's education. The paper also tries to cover the schemes those have been introduced by the government to increase the access, expand coverage and improve the quality of education among women in different parts and segments of the country. Based on an analysis of emergent issues, some recommendations and suggestions are offered in terms of grassroot level interventions, strategic initiatives and enabling policy framework, towards improving women's access to education.
Disparity in Girls Education in Indian Society
Elementary Education in India: Issues & Challenges by Uppal Publishing House, New Delhi, 2009
Educating girls has a catalytic effect on every dimension of economic development including high productivity, faster growth, high economic gains and a step towards empowerment of women. Educated women are also observed to be strong positive role models for female children. Gender discrimination makes girls the first sacrificial victim to be withdrawn from school when times get tough, and it is a more relative disadvantage in SC or ST families. The article examines the causes of gender disparities in access to education and details the initiatives taken at the governmental and societal levels to address this issue.
Gender Issues in School and Class room Practice
Increasing concern has been expressed about the role of the formal education system in reproducing gender differences and inequalities. Research studies indicate that issues that impact girls" education include discrimination against girls in class rooms, interaction between boys and girls, effect of gender on education and other submerged hidden curriculum. The present paper focuses on gender issues prevailing in the school settings in Pondicherry (Puducherry). The analysis shows how classroom practices, teacher attitudes and classroom structure disaggregate boys and girls. It also put forward few suggestions for a gender sensitive education.
Issues and Ideas in Education, 2020
Background: National Education Policy 2020 aims to eliminate existing disparities in access to education for children from any gender or any under-represented group. After independence, India makes considerable strides in reducing gender gaps in education, but even today the goal of gender parity in school enrolments remains elusive. India provides Universal Elementary Education to all and this commitment has been articulated through Constitution, National Education Policies and other Innovative Programmes. All these initiatives put a strong emphasis on the education of girls and some of the programmes have been started particularly to eliminate gender gaps in school education. Purpose: This paper is an attempt to review the Innovative Programmes started by the Government of India to redress the gender gaps in school education and also to analyze the impact of these programmes on female literacy rates and enrolment rates of girls in elementary education. Before analyzing the innovative programmes and their impact on educational statistics, the paper briefly assesses the status of education in the Constitution of India and also studies the national policy perspective regarding universal elementary education of girls in the country in order to provide a sound background to this study. Methods: The method of document analysis for the review of policy documents and innovative programmes has been utilized and trend analysis method has been applied to study the educational statistics from the year 1950 to 2015. Results: The female literacy rates and enrolment of girls in total enrolments for the classes VI-VIII have registered an increase after the implementation of these programmes. Conclusions: It has been observed that these community-based programmes of the country have received a lot of international recognition for their contribution towards reducing gender gaps in elementary education. So, the experiences of these Innovative Programmes can prove quite beneficial for other countries struggling with gender gaps in school education.