If you want to know how Bangladesh is progressing in women’s education or not at all, then you have come to the right place.
After Malala Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the role of religious conservatism and extremist Islamic ideology in educating women in Pakistan is again at the center of controversy. But starting from almost the same socio-economic position, Bangladesh has shown enviable success in this regard. Bangladesh’s success has been praised internationally.
Because of religious conservatism, where women’s education in Pakistan is hindered step by step, how did Bangladesh make such progress?
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Education Statistics, Banbase, in 2012, about 51 percent of the total students in the primary level were girls. Almost 100% girls are going to school now.
In a country whose political system is almost fragile and still lags far behind in terms of economic development, development experts have described the achievement as “surprising” for girls’ education.
How is this possible?
Experts are first drawing attention to the political consensus on education in Bangladesh. In the last few decades, all governments in Bangladesh have given priority to education. At the same time, it has taken various encouraging policies to send girls to school.
Rasheda K Chowdhury, executive director of the Mass Literacy Campaign and former caretaker government’s education adviser, said it was a big reason for the girls’ education rate to reach almost 100 per cent.
He said, “Political commitment in the field of education has never waned since the post-90 democratically elected governments. That government has always given importance to the education of girls and children. ”
Rasheda K Chowdhury thinks that the integrated work of government and non-government organizations in the field of primary education for girls and at the same time adopting appropriate policies are the two major reasons for this success.
Shyamal Kanti Ghosh, who has been the director general of the Department of Primary Education for almost six years, said that gaining the trust of the girl and her parents was the biggest obstacle.
A number of initiatives were taken by the government to gain this confidence and they too have played a significant role.
“The school environment for girls has been created. 80 percent teachers have been appointed in teaching. While there are scholarships for everyone at the primary level, there are scholarships for girls only at the secondary level. These issues have worked, ”said Mr. Ghosh.
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