Women-only scholarship to the rescue for higher education

A report titled “Bangladesh Education Statistics 2021” from the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) shows a significant decline in the rate of girls’ enrollment after college. This trend continues as they progress through higher education. According to the report, in 2020, out of 55.41% of girls enrolled in middle school from sixth to eighth grade, only 40.78% of them pursued a master’s degree.

Bangladesh has gained a much higher literacy rate in past decades but could not ensure that women’s education is up to the mark. There are a number of free education policies, allowances or scholarships available for girls in primary and secondary education levels but rarely any scholarships are available for pursuing higher education. 

The low-income households consider girls as a burden and prefer marrying off their daughters instead of giving them the opportunity to study further. They consider letting daughters study till class 8 or college is more than enough, making them the master of any subject is unnecessary. The additional barriers are poverty, child marriage, dowry, sexual harassment of young girls, lack of transport and residence facilities for pursuing higher education, religious dogma etc. Everyone is acquainted with the barriers to women’s education. 

In such cases, women-only scholarships can be infused to lift up women and girls. Scholarships facilitate finances and let down a lot of burdens to continue studies. To bring equity and equality, women need a little push which can contribute to their life and minimise the gender gaps as well.

Source: The Daily Star

Image Source: The British Council