WOMEN’S EDUCATION

Women constitute almost half of the population in the world. But the hegemonic
masculine ideology made them suffer a lot as they were denied equal opportunities in
different parts of the world. The rise of feminist ideas have, however, led to the
tremendous improvement of women's condition through out the world in recent times.
Access to education has been one of the most pressing demands of theses women's rights
movements. Women's education in India has also been a major preoccupation of both the
government and civil society as educated women can play a very important role in the
development of the country.
History of Women's Education in India: Although in the Vedic period women had
access to education in India, they had gradually lost this right. However, in the British
period there was revival of interest in women's education in India. During this period,
various socio religious movements led by eminent persons like Raja Ram Mohan Roy,
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar emphasized on women's education in India. Mahatma Jyotiba
Phule, Periyar and Baba Saheb Ambedkar were leaders of the lower castes in India who
took various initiatives to make education available to the women of India. However
women's education got a fillip after the country got independence in 1947 and the
government has taken various measures to provide education to all Indian women. As a
result women's literacy rate has grown over the three decades and the growth of female
literacy has in fact been higher than that of male literacy rate. While in 1971 only 22% of
Indian women were literate, by the end of 2001 54.16% female were literate. The growth
of female literacy rate is 14.87% as compared to 11.72 % of that of male literacy rate.

Importance of Women's Education in India: Women's education in India plays a very

important role in the overall development of the country. It not only helps in the
development of half of the human resources, but in improving the quality of life at home
and outside. Educated women not only tend to promote education of their girl children,
but also can provide better guidance to all their children. Moreover educated women can
also help in the reduction of infant mortality rate and growth of the population.

Obstacles: Gender discrimination still persists in India and lot more needs to be done in
the field of women's education in India. The gap in the male-female literacy rate is just a
simple indicator. While the male literary rate is more than 75% according to the 2001
census, the female literacy rate is just 54.16%. Prevailing prejudices, low enrollment of
girl child in the schools, engagements of girl children in domestic works and high drop
out rate are major obstacles in the path of making all Indian women educated.

The" Primacy of Women's Education- "If Government by the initial exclusion of the
masses accentuated the segregation of the masses from the privileged few, by their initial
restriction of their (educational) efforts to the male population, they brought a line of
division where it had never existed before, within the household." While the movement
for equal education for men and women began in Great Britain about a century ago with
such serious thinkers as Frederick Maurice, who was a founder of Queen',, College for
woman in 1848, and John Stuart Mill, whose "Subjection of Women" was published in
1869, it did not reach India until several decades later. Even today the inequality is
evident. According to the statistics issued by the Indian Ministry of Education for 1945-
46, there were six and a half times as many boys and men in secondary schools and
colleges as there were girls.

The underlying habits of men and women are largely fixed in the early years, and these
years are spent chiefly with I the mother. If she is open minded, inquiring and alert,
looking behind rumour and tradition to find the facts, concerned with the course of
events, in- formed about the nature of the world around her and interested in it, and
acquainted with history and literature and enjoying them, then her children will learn
these interests and attitudes from her. The educated, conscientious mother who lives and
works with her children in the home is the best teacher in the world of cloth character and
intelligence. Much of what she learned at school her children Yet unconsciously as
second nature by living in her company. In a society made up of such homes children
starting to school already have a background of information, understanding and culture
which result in their getting more benefit from school than otherwise would be possible.

There cannot be an educated people without educated women. If general education had to
be limited to men or to women, that opportunity should be given to women, for then it
would most surely be passed on to the next generation.

The Education of Women as Women-General education for interesting and intelligent

living and for citizenship in large part can be the same for men and women. We have
heard frequent suggestions that women's education should run to pretty
"accomplishments," such as drawing, painting or the like-skills which will enable well-
to-do women to pass the' time harmlessly while their husbands do the really important
work. This point of view should be obsolete. Women should share with men the life and
thought and interests of the times. They are fitted to carry the same academic work as
men, with no less thoroughness and quality. The distribution of general ability among
women is approximately the same as among men.

Yet, though men and women are equally competent in academic work, and though many
subjects are equally interesting and appropriate, it does not follow that in all things men's
and women's education should be identical. Indian universities for the most part are
places of preparation for a man's world. Little thought has been given to the education of
women as women. Women must, share the same programme as men or go without. There
are ways in which many women's interests or appropriate fields of work diverge from
those of men, and educational programmes should take that fact into account.

In every country, no matter how far the "liberation" of women has gone, husbands and
wives commonly play different parts. In general the man provides the income and the
woman maintains the home. For many women who crave to achieve standards of
excellence, the home provides an excellent setting. For a woman to give the home design,
beauty, order and character, without being herself a slave to home- keeping and without
imposing onerous prohibitions and restrictions on the freedom of movement of children,
is a high art. It will not be acquired by chance, and for many women its acquisition will
be impossible, except through education.

The home itself can be a Work of art, even though it must be maintained very simply and
economically. In fact, simplicity may be the highest expression of beauty. In the Western
world, homes tend to be crowded with belongings, as though the achievement of a,
beautiful home, were a matter of acquiring furnishings or Other works of art. In Japan,
great simplicity and restraint In furnishing,, and ornaments' with skill and taste in
selection and arrangement,

The greatest profession of women is, and probably will continue to be, that of home
maker. Yet her world should not be limited to that one relationship. There are varied
conditions which may properly lead a woman to seek fulfilment of her life in other fields.
Among the great contributors to human welfare have been some men who determined to
forego home and family in order to commit themselves wholly to the chosen work of
their lives. Women should have this same opportunity. The place of wife and mother
offers opportunity for exercise of the highest qualities and skills, yet for a woman to
decide that she can best fulfil her aims by living a single life should not put her under a
social disability. Sometimes, also, there is a, period before marriage during which a
young woman can do useful work, such as teaching or nursing. Sometimes the loss of a
husband makes her the bread winner for the family, When children are grown, there often
remain ten to twenty five years of vigorous life in which a woman may wish to have a
useful career sometimes husband and wife wish to share a common occupation through
the years. Sometimes with women, as with men, the needs homes and family leave time
for useful and interesting occupations. For all such circumstances educational
opportunities should be available.

One of the desirable development, of Indian life, and education for both men and women
is a great increase in the kinds of work open to them. If only a few callings are
recognized there is excessive competition for the available places, many kind of ability
find no opportunity for expression, and, many kinds of needs remain un- supplied. A
wholesome and interesting society will have many and varied occupations and
professions. The educational system at all level, should prepare men and women for such
varied callings.