Promoting Girls’ Education: Gujarat’s Initiatives and Achievements

The government of Gujarat is actively promoting girls’ education in the state by introducing new measures and policies. Awareness campaigns, schemes, and programmes are being drafted to enhance the female literacy rate and minimise school dropout rates. Parents must understand the importance of a girl child’s education and encourage their daughters to go to school and seek better educational opportunities. Gujarat is a progressive state and contributes significantly to the national economy. If girls are given equal educational, career and growth opportunities, they can also contribute towards boosting the national and global economy. Let us learn more about the Gujarat government’s initiatives to promote girls’ education.

What is the importance of a girl’s education?

Parents need to understand and encourage their daughters or girls in their families to go to schools and get educated. Girl child education has been sidelined for years, but in recent decades, people have realised the importance of educating girls.

1. A higher literacy rate among girls accounts for lowering crime rates as girls become aware of the drawbacks in society and prepare to speak up against it.

2. Education is a tool for women’s empowerment. Literate girls know the importance of education and encourage other girls to study and become independent.

3. It also impacts girls’ health and leads to a lowering of child mortality rates and better family planning as more girls become aware of their bodies and biology.

4. Educated girls are more likely to pursue further studies and build careers, contributing to the nation’s economic growth.

5. The educational growth of girls fosters inequality and promotes equal opportunities for both girls and boys in every field.

6. Education boosts skill development, critical thinking, and independence. Girls become aware and opinionated and grow towards becoming torchbearers of global change.

What is the education system in Gujarat?

Schools in Gujarat operate just like the schools in any other state. The Gujarat educational system is carried out by government and private schools affiliated with different state, central and international boards such as CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE, and IB. The medium of instruction for education in state board-affiliated schools is Gujarati, while that in schools affiliated with other boards is English. The school’s curriculum and examinations run under the Gujarat state board and are under the jurisdiction of the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB). The education cycle in Gujarat can be divided into four stages – primary education (class I to IV), upper primary (V to VII), secondary education (VIII to X), and higher secondary education (XI to XII). The education system of Gujarat has made significant progress in recent years in promoting girls’ education and improving the literacy rate for girls.

What are the benefits of promoting girls’ education in Gujarat?

Girls education in Gujarat is necessary as it encourages them to learn and grow holistically on spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical, and moral levels. Every educated girl in Gujarat is a responsible citizen representing Gujarat. Therefore, promoting girls’ education in Gujarat is vital for many reasons.

1. Boost national economy– Gujarat is a hub for business and entrepreneurship, significantly boosting the state and national economy. Gujaratis are intellectual and witty people who know how to make more money out of existing money and have a shared legacy of business. By educating the girls in Gujarat, the business domain can be shared by women, who can grow to become business tycoons by contributing their ideas and critical approaches.
2. Root tradition and culture– Women have been the peddlers of culture, tradition, and morality in India for decades. Gujarati people are known for their pride in their rich culture, heritage and traditions, which they aim to last centuries. By imparting education to girls in Gujarat, girls are allowed to learn and discover more about the history of the rich heritage of Gujarat, and participation in various cultural fests helps them hold onto the tradition of folk dances of Gujarat, songs, cuisines and much more. It not only fosters the revival of Gujarati traditions but also helps in instilling morality, culture, and values in students.

3. Fosters family planning– Educated women know the importance of family planning, child mortalities and other health-related concerns for those lacking education. Population control is needed in India, and it is only through education and campaigns that people will work on family planning. Educated girls work on a micro level and help educate their families about the importance of family planning and a healthy lifestyle.

4. Minimises poverty– Lack of education is one of the leading causes of poverty across various states in India. Educating the girls helps create career opportunities that will help curb poverty in Gujarat and throughout the nation.

5. Promotes equality– Educated women are empowered women and are well-informed and opinionated. Gujarat is a progressive state, and by educating its girls, it will prosper as the women will be well aware of their rights, which will also instruct them to safeguard themselves and the people around them. Schools organise self-defence classes and promote group discussions and debates to nourish the body and mind. Women will become capable of standing up for themselves and against inequality or any crime. It, in turn, will help in making Gujarat a safer state for women.

6. Global exposure– The impact of global education on every nation is helping in intellectual and economic prosperity by giving higher opportunities to girls and boys to study and achieve their goals. Various schools in Gujarat are affiliated with the international board to offer a globalised curriculum for girls’ higher studies and career growth.

Which educational schemes have been started by Gujarat?

The government of Gujarat has ever since played an active role in promoting girls’ education and encouraging parents to send their daughters to study and learn. Initiatives by the Gujarat government have led to the drafting of various schemes and programs to enhance the quality of education in Gujarat.

1. Vidyalakshmi Bond Scheme– It is a government programme started to admit more girls to schools in the rural and urban areas of Gujarat. Under this scheme, the government offers a bond of two thousand rupees to eligible girls entering class I in government schools. The bond matures after the girl completes class VIII and is credited to the parent’s account.

2. Kanya Kelavani Nidhi– The government of Gujarat takes the initiative to improve the rate of female literacy in the state. It is a scholarship programme whereby resident girls of Gujarat scored more than eighty per cent in class XII and have a weak economic background. Girls are offered a scholarship covering fifty per cent of their educational expenses if they consider opting for medical, engineering or BDS. It helps in minimising the dropout rate after school.

3. Vahli Dikri Yojana– The government scheme is drafted to promote the educational welfare of girls by offering financial benefits. The scheme is limited to families with weak economic backgrounds and is for the first two girl children. Economic benefits include crediting a sum of one thousand, six thousand and one lakh after enrolling in classes I, IX and for higher education, respectively.

These are a few government initiatives actively encouraging and promoting girls’ education in the state.

SKV is an all-girls boarding school profoundly known for welcoming students from all states of the nation, including Gujarat. We are affiliated with the CBSE board and educate girls from class VI onwards. We aim to offer modern and progressive learning rooted in Indian cultures and traditions to offer holistic development to girls.