The Benefits of Educating Women in India

by | Mar 19, 2014 | Uncategorized |

If all women had completed secondary education, the infant mortality rate would have been 61 percent lower in India and 43 percent lower in Nigeria, saving 1.23 million children’s lives, said the report published by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Education also helps overcome gender biases in political behaviour to deepen democracy, it said. In India, reducing the gender literacy gap by 40 percent increased the probability of women standing for state Assembly elections by 16 percent and the share of votes that they received by 13 percent.

The above article clearly shows the correlation between women’s education and child mortality.  The under-five child mortality rate shown above is a real cause for concern for the countries mentioned. In our opinion, education reduces infant mortality for the following reasons:

  • Educated women can definitely take care of their children better by observing proper hygiene and the correct schedule for inoculation and vaccination.

  • Education can also help mothers to choose a balanced diet for their children to keep them healthy, thus making them less susceptible to infection.

  • Educated expectant mothers will have better knowledge about keeping themselves fit physically and mentally during the period of gestation.

  • Additionally, education can also induce an urge in pregnant women to attend pre-natal clinics to learn more about the importance of their diet,exercise,rest,clothing and mental health during this period.

  • Education can encourage young mothers to be part of post-natal clinics to safeguard the health issues of their young ones,thereby ensuring a healthy life for them.

We could conclude by  emphatically saying that educated mothers can help to lower infant mortality by the wise use of their knowledge to take care of their babies.

I invite your valuable views on this burning issue.

Why are Indian Education Standards Dropping?

by | Feb 4, 2014 | Early Education, Indian education |

800px-Elementary_School

Image courtesy: Wikimedia commons

According to an article in the Times of India, an annual survey by Indian education research group Pratham showed that the proportion of children aged about 10 who are able to perform a basic reading task dropped from 52.8 per cent in 2009 to 47 per cent in 2013.

This situation is rather disappointing, as the value of quality education is increasing with time. A quality education is vital for gainful employment and resulting success.  Now we will examine a few issues, which might have contributed to this decline.

  • Overburdened students: Children from a very young age have too much  curricular material and related activities to cover,which reduces their ability to focus on vital educational skills. Our educational system needs to provide an opportunity for children to grasp these skills in a relaxed and tension-free atmosphere.

  • Lack of adequate learning materials: Most of the Government and Government-aided schools are still poorly-equipped with the required  learning materials. We can hope that the government ensures adequate funding for such schools.
  • Lack of performance-based incentives for teachers:  Currently,teachers are compensated with a flat salary, which is not connected to the performance of their students. A better way would be to provide an additional financial incentive based on performance.
  • Inadequate teaching methodologies: It is necessary to move with the times and use newer and more effective ways to help students find learning more interesting.

These might not be the only reasons for the decline in the quality of Indian education.  We would like to hear your valuable comments about this subject. Tell us what you think, in the comments section below.