How often does an average teenager complain about going to school? Unfortunately, there is no empirical data, but it is clear that millions of students are unable to suppress their emotions on a Monday morning. This might sound ignorant to millions of young people who do not have access to primary education in the twenty-first century. The quality of female education is a particularly alarming issue that is often disregarded in the new age of feminism. Conservative people argue that girls’ schooling is unnecessary, but their opinions support old religious doctrines and lack any factual evidence. Developing countries such as Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda start to realize the importance of educating girls, which leads to improved global statistics. Despite all the positive changes for girls worldwide, safe access to educational opportunities should remain a priority globally as women continue to study and contribute to the cultural, social, and economic development of their countries.
Literacy is regarded as one of the integral parts of modern cultural, technological, and socioeconomic transformations. Even though the number of illiterate individuals continues to decrease slowly, there are still about 800 million people, who cannot read or write (United Nations). Women make up more than two-thirds of this number, which demonstrates a critical divide in educational access to girls and boys (United Nations). The educational crisis is particularly acute in various developing countries, including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and many others (The World Bank Group). The latest research shows that “the productivity of 56 percent of the world’s children will be less than half of what it could be if they enjoyed complete education” (The World Bank Group). Primary education and girls’ ability to read and write are essential to function independently in an immensely globalized world of today. A future generation of women worldwide needs to have a learning opportunity in order to build a career and educate their children. Gender inequality remains a significant part of an ongoing educational crisis.
Rural areas struggle as there is a prominent distinction between rural and urban areas in terms of access to high-quality education. According to the United Nations’ data, only 39 percent of rural girls attend secondary school, which is almost half the percentage of urban boys. Rural girls are also twice more likely to drop out of school than urban girls, which shows that more progress needs to be made (United Nations). Deficits in education can have long-term implications for girls as they become mothers and raise their own children. New generations depend on educated, intelligent women, which is why girls’ schooling is immensely important.
One of the arguments against female education is the lack of safety, which is often the result of long-distance traveling children need to undertake in order to go to school. While Western school campuses implement anti-bullying initiatives to safeguard children’s mental health, a lot of schools in developing countries remain dangerous for prospective students, who often have to travel hours to their destination (United Nations Children’s Fund). According to the World Health organization, gender-based violence (primarily violence against women and girls) in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Tanzania is associated with low-income communities and weak legal sanctions for sexual abuse. Parents often oppose their daughters taking such risks, which is why officials need to open more local schools and educate parents on the possible safety precautions.
A lot of opposers of female education base their opinions off of religious texts and conservative doctrines that try to justify female social inferiority. The issue of restricted educational attainment based on gender is gradually improving, but there are still opposers of secular schooling (Pew Research Center). The gender gaps in educational attainment remain prevalent within major world religions, particularly Islam and Hinduism (Pew Research Center). A lot of households still discriminate against female education as the majority of their beliefs originate from their faith. However, it is crucial to understand that the contents of Qur’an, for instance, have been interpreted in various different ways due to the history of long-held cultural discrimination that justified women’s inferiority (McDonnel). Conservative mullahs, for example, often offer different interpretations of Qur’an to put men in the positions of power by enforcing the idea that women have no need in education as they are on maintenance of their husbands (McDonnel). Therefore, some devout Muslims might think females pursuing a career or an education is insulting to their husbands as it symbolizes potential independence. In fact, Muhammad’s revelations state that women and men are created equal and do not place women in unfavorable positions (McDonnel). The twenty-first century requires religious authorities to become a bit more progressive when it comes to strict gender-based laws on physical mobility and educational access that limit the girls’ right to study.
Women can potentially impact the economy in a positive way since education remains an essential factor in the socioeconomic growth of any nation. Educated women are more likely to lead productive lives and escape poverty by obtaining higher positions, especially in the educational sector (United Nations). Studies show that “female labor force participation rate and female primary school enrollment are significant factors for annual per capita income growth” (Oztunc et al, p. 349). National economies depend on educated populations that can aid in the development of new technologies and businesses.
Female education results in immensely important social changes, including decreased child mortality rates, better parenting, and cultural harmony. It is crucial to consider the linkage between education and mortality rates. According to the data gathered by the United Nations, children of uneducated mothers are almost three times more likely to die than the kids with mothers who have at least secondary education. Mortality rates are in direct proportion to future mother’s enrollment in schools (United Nations). Thus, female education becomes an important factor in determining whether the child survives or not. As women become more educated, they start to make rational and informed choices that affect the quality of their lives as well as the lives of their children and families. Personal development is dependent on education, as studies demonstrate the positive impact of schooling (Oztunc et al, p. 354). Educated women are more open-minded and tolerant, which leads to beneficial social changes, including cultural harmony (Somani 125). Women deserve an opportunity to think independently and have access to education that enables them to improve their societies.
Apart from creating positive social and economic changes, female education leads to profound cultural transformations. Female empowerment and feminism become widespread and introduce the ideas of gender equality and liberalization to boys and girls worldwide (United Nations Children’s Fund). The story of Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for equal education rights, has inspired millions of young girls and gained public attention to create more educational initiatives for women worldwide (Brittain). Malala argued that “There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women” (Brittain). Young people have to become familiar with the concepts of equality, gender stereotypes, and feminism in order to create positive changes in their communities.
Education has immense value and influence over women worldwide and global societies at large. As the opposers of female education continue to justify women’s lack of rights, feminists are still fighting to ensure girls can reach their full potential at school. Female contribution to the cultural, economic, and social transformations taking place in their countries makes the benefits stand out. It is crucial to listen to the opposers and their concerns to make schools safe and adaptable for all the girls living in high-risk communities. However, cultural and religious traditions need to be taken into consideration as authorities develop new innovative frameworks to encourage parents to educate their daughters. Education is a gateway for most girls to open up their minds to the world of opportunities and success.
Works Cited
Brittain, Rachel.”25 Inspiring Malala Yousafzai Quotes.” Book Riot, 2018.
McDonnel, Jaclynn. Islam and Educational Equality for Muslim Women. 2017. Seton Hall U, Law school student scholarship.
Oztunc, Hakan, et al. “Effects of Female Education on Economic Growth: A Cross Country Empirical Study.” Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, vol. 15, no. 2, 2015, pp. 349-357. doi: 10.12738/estp.2015.2.2351.
Pew Research Center. “How Religion May Affect Educational Attainment: Scholarly Theories and Historical Background.” PewForum.org, 2016.
Somani, Tabreek. “Importance of Educating Girls for the Overall Development of Society: A Global Perspective.” Journal of Educational Research and Practice, vol. 7, no. 1, 2017, pp. 125-139. doi: 10.5590/JERAP.2017.07.1.10.
United Nations. “The World’s Women 2015: Education.” unstats.un.org, 2015.
United Nations Children’s Fund. “Girls’ Education: A Lifeline to Development.” Unicef.org, Web.
The World Bank Group. “The Education Crisis: Being in School Is Not the Same as Learning.” WorldBank, 2019.
World Health Organization. “Violence against Women.” WHO, 2017.