Women's education plays a crucial role in the development of all.

Women's education plays a crucial role in the development of all.

The status of women in education has steadily progressed, but given the changing educational and technological landscape, there is still a critical need for comprehensive development and progress in women's education. Gender inequality in this area remains deep-rooted.

Women's education plays a crucial role in the development of all, from the family to the nation. While the status of women in education has steadily improved in the face of changing educational and technological landscapes, there is a critical need for comprehensive development and progress in women's education. It is important to mention a recent report that concludes that nearly 15 million girls worldwide are out of primary education. The report was released by UN Women, an organization working for the empowerment of women. It states that while there has been significant progress in gender parity in primary and secondary schools over the past decades, there are many areas where gender inequality remains deep.

When it comes to school enrolment, the situation of women has improved significantly at the primary and secondary education levels. However, the harsh reality is that the number of women who drop out after enrolment is many times higher than that of men. In some places, 48.1 per cent of girls are still out of school. When it comes to higher education, the figures are even less encouraging. According to a report by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Team, women represent only 35 per cent of the global workforce in fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Notably, this figure has remained unchanged for the past ten years.

Today is the era of technology and digital revolution. The revolutionary change in the digital sector has changed the educational landscape at every level. Therefore, just being educated is no longer enough; being technologically proficient and continuously advancing in skill development are the key factors to keep pace with this changing landscape. The latest technological innovations like artificial intelligence are getting more and more advanced. Importantly, the impact of artificial intelligence is also being felt in the education sector. According to a recent report, between 2018 and 2023, the share of women in the data and artificial intelligence sectors was only 26 percent.

A report by the United Nations Women's Unit has said that social systems are a major reason why girls are unable to get proper primary education. It is noteworthy that gender inequality and discriminatory attitudes are still deeply embedded in our social landscape. The adverse effect of these attitudes is that access to education is a major challenge for girls. A large number of girls enroll in school for education, but are forced to drop out. The main reasons for this are child marriage and excessive family responsibilities. A study conducted by the National Human Rights Commission has revealed that lack of resources is another important reason for girls dropping out of school. The number of girls who are deprived of education due to lack of transport and other facilities is also significant.

Although the government has implemented the important scheme "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao", it is difficult to say how successful they are in reality. While we move forward with the dream and vision of becoming a developed nation, challenges like gender inequality and female illiteracy are a harsh reality. Today, there is a need to address these challenges and obstacles as soon as possible, because as long as these continue, the dream of becoming a developed nation can never be realized.

A report by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights states that 39.4 per cent of girls between the ages of 15 and 18 are out of school. In addition, 57 per cent of girls drop out of school by class 11. Among children under the age of 15, 3.2 per cent of girls are out of school, compared to 2.7 per cent of boys. According to another report, 68 per cent of countries in the world have policies supporting science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, but only 50 per cent of these policies focus on girls’ education. Clearly, policy errors or policy failures are largely responsible for the stagnation in girls’ education. To address this, a series of large-scale and comprehensive efforts are needed. The first and most important step is to remove stereotypes and unnecessary biases at all levels – individual, societal and national – as these are the biggest barriers to girls’ education. From primary education to higher education, there is a need to significantly improve infrastructure, ensuring access to resources from the perspective of women.

Another important aspect is that as online education has become increasingly advanced today, digital literacy of women should be given priority from the very beginning, which will enable them to adapt to the latest educational scenario and environment. An educated and successful woman is not only a role model for the family but also for the entire nation. Keeping this in mind, efforts should be made on a war footing to address the shortcomings in education that particularly affect women. In India, a large portion of the country's population lives in rural areas, where old ways of thinking are still prevalent. As a result, women are not able to access education, or if they do, they are not able to advance much. Apart from this, a significant problem in our country is a major obstacle to women's safety. Fear of insecurity prevents many parents from sending their daughters abroad for education. Today, education is no longer limited to books; it has expanded to online resources, virtual platforms and digital media. Advances in science and technology are the backbone of today's era. The world's economy, education, health and social fabric are based on technological advancements. In a developing country like India, promoting science and technology is a national priority. Ensuring strong participation of women in these fields can accelerate the country's progress at a rapid pace.

Manas Kumar Kar

Kotang, Konark

7381382210