Advancing Literacy and Quality Education for Women

Women working in a rice field

Literacy involves the ability of persons to read and write in the language of the society where they find themselves. As such, a person could be termed literate in a society and seen as illiterate in another. 

With the present-day realities which put women and children at a disadvantage, and places limitations on the level of achievement in life, more and more of these women and children miss out on opportunities which would likely have made their lives better.

While opportunities for growth abound in society, the chances for qualitative education whether formal, entrepreneurial or social which would have placed women at an advantage are limited by so many factors which work against them.

Advancing literacy and quality education require the enforcement of strict guidelines to facilitate the pace at which people learn. For women and children, however, many factors come into play to ensure their continued limitation especially as it relates to access to educational provisions.
 It is true that women and children are faced with so many challenges and hurdles which stand in the way of getting a good education.

For Sub Saharan Africa, certain cultural practices stand in the way of equal access to school for women and girls. This is largely a by-product of the high premium placed on the boy by society and the second-class status accorded women and girls which relegated them to such roles as caregivers, homemaker, additional income provider, and the likes. This is a testament to the low priority given to the education of the girl child.

 Education of the girl child

 The girl child needs as much love and attention as her male counterpart to partake equally in available educational opportunities which will make them better and place them as equals in the field of play in whatever endeavour they choose to do.
Cases abound of women who have changed the entire landscape of society by the impact they've had on science and technology, education, business, law, and medicine. Yet women across Africa are still not given a level playing ground with their male counterpart instead the male child is prioritized over the female.

 Lower priority is given to the education of the girl

 As a result of cultural beliefs which view the education of women as a waste of resources leading to the higher enrollment of males in such a society. This practice is heightened by the fact that the woman changes her name upon marriage to that of her husband while her family name is removed.
 This has been the premise upon which many families tactically favoured the education of the males over the females. Also, the culture of leaving all of the family inheritance to males practiced in Africa even among the educated lends credence to the lower priority of the woman. As such, the male child is educated and trained to carry on the family business or legacy while the woman looks on.

Some factors significantly affect literacy and quality education for women and girls they include;

•  Early marriage 
•  Poverty 
• Natural disaster and conflict 
•  Existing policy Implementation.

Early marriage

Early marriage is one practice that greatly reduces the chances of girls from advancing in education. When these girls are married off, the odds are such that they may never continue their education as chances for continued education would likely be hindered by the responsibilities associated with the new role of a wife. These roles among others demand that they bear and raise children, help out in the home, or get jobs to support the husband in the home. Even this act of working to earn extra income yields minimal input as high paying jobs are usually reserved for the well educated.

Poverty

Poverty is a major deciding factor in the education of the girl child. Women all across the world suffer from the choices and decisions of families make largely due to poverty. Many women have missed out on the opportunity to be educated because their families could not afford to send them to school. When faced with poverty, the girl child is either married off early to someone who is expected to take care of her, sent to work for others or kept back at home to help out with whatever form of work the family engages in.

Conflicts and Natural Disasters

Wars and natural disasters have had their input in limiting the education of women and girls as they are forced by reason of the prevailing circumstance to assume certain roles which deny them the opportunity to advance their education. This places women at the receiving end of major natural disasters and conflicts as they immediately assume the responsibility of the children and siblings. And with continued conflicts in many parts of Africa and beyond, more women and children will continue to miss out on educational opportunities as more girls will likely have to take on the responsibility of caring for the family as a direct consequence of conflict.

Although natural disasters are not normal everyday occurrences, they wreak havoc and disrupt the normal flow of activity in a society where they happen. Women by nature are compassionate and caring and tend to give up the time for education to care for victims of such disasters. While the fact that men volunteer to charitable causes cannot be denied, women are more likely to do so than men.

 Policy implementation

  Despite existing policy in favour of the education of women, the true impact of such legislation and policies are not far-reaching. Scores of women and children especially girls still lag behind in terms of school enrollment, active participation and the total number of graduates from secondary and tertiary institutions of learning. Compensatory programme for those who may have missed out on the opportunity to education to learn and catch up with their peer is yet to be vigorously pursued.