How NGOs Promote Female Education In Rural India?

Through their efforts, NGOs are slowly trying to change the landscapes and make definitive changes in the realm of female education in rural India.

In 2002, through the 86th Constitution Amendment Act, the right to education was included under the fundamental rights in the Indian Constitution. As per the act, education has been made free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 14. Thus, you can see schools extend primary education even in remote villages. However, in practice, in rural India, parity can be observed between the male and female literacy rates. The disparity and low female literacy rate are two of the most concerning problems in the rural education system in India. Both the government and NGOs are trying to change this fact about the rural education system. Thus, to change the state of female education in rural India, NGOs are trying their level best to promote education amongst the female populace in rural set-ups.

How NGOs Are Promoting Female Education In Rural India?
The efforts given by NGOs in rural India have played a role in changing the landscape of female education in rural India. Here’s what NGOs have done in their pursuit.

Spreading Awareness for Female Literacy:
When it comes to female literacy, traditionally, it is not as valued as its male counterpart. Even to this day, in rural areas, female education is not prioritised. This is why the jarring gap between the male and female literacy rates exists. To curb this, the NGOs advocating for female education conduct awareness campaigns that strive to put equal weight on both male and female education in rural India. The workshops and campaigns they conduct are attended by parents, adults, and children. Thus, it helps to spread awareness and strive to bring rural areas up to speed with their urban counterparts in terms of the gender gap in education.

Offer Scholarships:
Often, promising young female students do not get the study further due to a lack of financial resources. This is where NGOs extend their help. By offering scholarships to such students in rural India, they alleviate the financial burden a lot. It helps significantly to the female students to continue their education and attain a higher degree.

Conduct mobile classes:
Due to geographical differences between the school and their home, families do not let females continue their education. To prevent such an outcome, NGOs rallying for female education in rural India conduct mobile classes. Their volunteer teachers reach out to such places, conduct open classes, and impart education. Not just this, but NGOs sometimes also pop up vocational skill training classes, which can help female students polish up their employable skills to become financially independent in the future.

Address The Dropout Rate:
One of the biggest challenges that block the growth of female education in rural India is the high dropout rate. As, traditionally, female education is not seen as a priority, and due to many reasons, they are forced to quit education. This can be because of their financial strains, prioritising a son’s education over a daughter’s, child marriage, domestic work taking precedence over school, or any other. All these factors contribute to a higher dropout rate for females in the rural education system in India. The NGOs working in this realm are constantly trying to address this problem and curb the staggeringly high rates. Through awareness campaigns, incentives, and lobbying for policy change to enforce female education in rural India, the NGOs strive to bring down the rate of female dropout in rural education.

These are some of the ways the NGOs are doing their part in promoting female education in rural India. Through their efforts, they are slowly trying to change the landscape and make definitive changes in the realm of female education. But the extent of help NGOs can offer depends on the support they receive from the government and society at large. By supporting them in their endeavours, you can participate in this noble pursuit to make a rippling change in society.