Female Literacy Need of the Hour

Female literacy and age at marriage are connected. The female marriage age in India, which was recently raised to 21, is not followed. Families with parents who are illiterate ignore and disregard it. Girls' education is undercut by this strategy.

Literacy is the ability to read and write, and the inability to do either constitutes illiteracy. It is also possible to define it as a lack of education, to put it another way. In a country that is growing like India, it is essential to the development of the country. In our nation, the percentage of illiterate adults is determined by looking at people over the age of 15, whereas the percentage of illiterate young adults is determined by looking at people between the ages of 15 and 24. Everyone who is aware of this fact and everyone who is not aware of this fact should know that India is home to the biggest number of illiterate people in the world. There is still illiteracy among one quarter of the population in India.

Literacy and education are two of the most significant factors in determining whether or not a nation will have a successful human capital sector. The primary cause of poverty is illiteracy among the world's population. When people are unable to provide for themselves financially and also lose their ability to think rationally, the number of crimes they commit increases. Because there are still many people who do not believe in educating their daughters, the prevalence of illiteracy among women is significantly greater than the rate among men. Additionally, the infrastructure required for schooling is not in very good shape.

On average, 74.04 per cent of the population in India is literate. In India, the literacy rate in Kerala is the highest of any state at 93.91 per cent, while the literacy rate in Bihar is the lowest at 63.82 per cent. Every ten years, India's Ministry of Home Affairs is responsible for carrying out a census.

CAUSES OF ILLITERACY IN WOMEN

Illiteracy in women is affected by factors, such as those that are social, cultural, economic, educational, demographic, political, and administrative. Some of the factors that are to be blamed for the dismal state of women's educational attainment are:

In India, one of the biggest obstacles to women's empowerment is the low enrolment of girls in schools. Reliable data indicates that girls make up more than 50 per cent of non-starters. The most recent statistics indicate that 2 out of 10 females aged 6 to 11 are not attending school.

Girls are more likely to drop out of school in rural, tribal, and slum areas. In India, girls stagnate and drop out at a rate that is twice as high as males.

Girls often take on the role of second mothers in their homes by taking care of younger siblings, procuring water, gathering firewood, bringing cattle feed, cleaning, and cooking. Traditional sex roles handicap and condition girl children in rural India, especially in poor homes, which discourages them from going to school.

For washermen, agricultural labourers, scheduled castes, and scheduled tribes, the bonded labour system is a social ill that prohibits girls from attending school in rural areas.

The caste system is important. Children from lower castes must learn labour and skills. Numerous factors hinder their education. Because they are kept as servants and child labourers in factories or fields, high caste communities have threatened them.

The dowry system and other societal practises cause discrimination, abuse, and denial of education for girls. The poor and oppressed believe that if their daughters are educated, they will need to pay a larger dowry. So, they don't send their children, who have a typical education, to college.

Children in India labour in vast numbers. According to UN sources, more than 50 million children work in India as child labourers on beedi, carpet, brick, domestic, and other projects. The majority of industries favour girls since they produce more and spend less money.

The environment at girls' schools in India is not favourable. The environment that girls grow up in is not connected to the school curriculum. The majority of instructional methods are archaic, constrictive, and boring. Numerous schools lack essential amenities, including drinking water, restrooms, appropriate facilities, and female teachers.

Female literacy and age at marriage are connected. The female marriage age in India, which was recently raised to 21, is not followed. Families with parents who are illiterate ignore and disregard it. Girls' education is undercut by this strategy.

In rural, tribal, and underprivileged Indian homes, inferiority, subservience, and domesticity hinder a girl's education and development.

Since they assist in supporting their parents, kids, particularly girls, are frequently viewed as economic assets in low-income households.

All children are entitled to free and compulsory education under the Indian Constitution and other legislation. However, in terms of women's welfare and contentment, the enforcement apparatus falls short of its obligations.

Low female literacy rates in India are a result of demographic factors including high population growth and fast urban migration, among others.

Politicians, government officials, and decision-makers in our nation lack the political will and conviction necessary to emancipate women.

Following measures can be taken for the education of women:

In order to guarantee universal girl enrolment, the government, parents, and civil society must collaborate. The government can require that all girls enrol in compulsory schooling.

In rural, tribal, and slum communities, the Central and State Education Ministries should adopt strategic measures to reduce the high dropout rates among girls. Girl dropouts can be reduced with the aid of regional non-profits.

Provide programmes to reduce poverty and increase income so that families can afford to send their kids to school and college.

It is necessary to use administrative steps to stop child labour and bonded labour. Children released from servitude should enrol in schools with the necessary social safeguards.

Communities and educational institutions should take action to integrate girl children into all spheres of education.

No matter their socio-economic standing, every Indian family should assist their female children in overcoming inferiority and other barriers to their education and growth. Regardless of their socioeconomic standing, every family can teach their daughters to be honourable human beings who are capable of achieving success in all spheres of life—physical, mental, economic, and social.

The free lunch programme and other educational assistance services, including uniforms, motorcycles, and scholarships should be provided. To increase girls' literacy, free bus passes similar to those in Tamil Nadu could be offered in other states and territories.

Poor and underprivileged children are denied the right to an education due to social ills. With the help of the general public, political parties, non-governmental organisations, and government organisations, they should be eradicated through carefully planned mass awareness campaigns and social welfare initiatives.

A favourable perception of girls and women in society can be created through electronic and print media. As a result, society's perceptions of females and their duties would shift, and all girls and women would be treated with respect and dignity.

Every Indian state should offer free education and hostels for underprivileged girls, funded by the government, charities, and philanthropists. This will enable young people from low-income families to achieve a top-notch education.

NGOs, women's universities, social work schools, women's studies departments, and service organisations like Rotary Clubs and Lions Clubs To advance women's education in this nation, clubs and women's organisations and associations can collaborate.

Poor and disadvantaged parents need to be made aware of how crucial education is for the girl child as well.

The public, and government should enforce the minimum age for marriage (21 and above) across castes, religions, communities, etc.,and it should be institutionalised. Without discrimination, political parties, policymakers, and other stakeholders in India's government should promote women's empowerment.

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