No disparity in primary and secondary education

WE are heartened to see that Bangladesh ranks highest among countries in the Asia Pacific region in terms of equal opportunities for girls in primary and secondary education, according to the Global Gender Gap Report 2014.

Introduced by the World Economic Forum in 2006, the report provides a framework for understanding the extent of gender-based disparities around the world. The report states that enrolment of girls stands at 50.1% in primary education, and 53% in secondary education, which is commendable.

However, the gender disparity in tertiary education is still noticeable and is a cause for concern for policymakers and educationists. Patriarchal structures and corresponding socio-economic reality in the country still downplay the importance of higher education in a woman's life, prioritising good marriage prospects over a successful career. Many girls are forced to drop out of school because of the sexual harassment they face on their way to and from their educational institutions, and are subsequently married off. Yet others are forced to take up low-paying unskilled jobs to support their families, unable to bear the cost of higher education.

The government must implement laws to stop child marriage, address sexual violence in communities and educational institutions, ensure that government incentives and free scholarships reach deserving students and take other necessary measures to encourage young women to continue schooling. At the same time, as a society we must place value on our daughters' education not so that she can make a good match, but so that she can take control of her own life.