(a) whether it is a fact that the country continues to lag behind in education
because of gender insensitivity, lack of transportation and lack of toilets for
girls in schools; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken by the Government to
correct the same in future to attract the girls to education?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(DR SHASHI THAROOR)
(a) & (b): The enrolment of girls at the elementary, secondary and senior
secondary level has been steadily increasing and the drop out rates declining at
all stages of school education. The Gross Enrolment Ratio of girls at primary
level rose from 85.9% in 2000-01 to 116.7% in 2010-11, at upper primary level
it rose from 49.9% to 83.1% over the same period, while at the secondary level
it rose from 45.3% in 2004-05 to 60.8% in 2010-11 and at the higher secondary
level from 24.5% to 36.1% during the same period. This data has been collected
and compiled under the annual School Education Statistics by the Ministry of
Human Resource Development.
The Government has always attached top priority to gender sensitization and to the
integration of gender based concerns in school textbooks and curriculum. In order to
ensure the greater participation of girls in elementary education, the Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA) has targeted interventions for girls which include the opening of schools
in the neighbourhood to make access easier for girls, the appointment of additional
teachers including women teachers, free textbooks, free uniforms, separate toilets
for girls, teachers’ sensitization programmes to promote girls’ participation, gender-
sensitive teaching-learning materials including textbooks. In addition the Kasturba
Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) have been opened in Educationally Backward Blocks
(EBBs) where the female rural literacy is below the national average to provide for
residential upper primary schools for girls.
For secondary education, under the Rashtriya Madhymik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) interventions
for girls include community mobilization at the habitation/village/urban slum level,
scholarships, educational provisions such as textbooks, stationary, transport facilities,
provision of lady teachers, construction of residential quarters for teachers in remote/
hilly areas/in areas with difficult terrain/hostel facilities for girls etc. Further,
special coaching classes/remedial classes especially for educationally minority girls
and children who are not doing academically well, teacher sensitization programme,
separate toilet block for girls, girls activity room, etc. have also been provided
for in the scheme.