'Improve schooling for women'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A stronger campaign to provide women with
\ngreater access to education and sexual equality is needed and
\nshould focus on convincing communities that educating women is
\nbeneficial to the economy, experts on women issues say.<\/p>\n
May Rihani, Vice President for the Education and Training
\nServices Division of U.S.-based Creative Associates
\nInternational, said many communities are still reluctant to send
\nwomen and girls to school because they feel education is not of
\nsignificant benefit, with some claiming that it actually
\ninterferes with household responsibilities.<\/p>\n
"Communities, especially in developing countries, have now
\nbecome supportive of the idea of educating women and girls. Now
\nthe question is how they can be productive after they receive an
\neducation," she said during a Worldnet Dialog on Friday linking
\nWashington, Jakarta, Surabaya and Port Moresby.<\/p>\n
Rihani was speaking from Washington.<\/p>\n
Margaret Lycette, Director of the Office of Women in
\nDevelopment at the U.S. Agency for International Development in
\nWashington, said it was the responsibility of the government,
\nthrough its policies, to inform local communities.<\/p>\n
However, she said, these communities must also have a say in
\nthe policy-making process before full participation can be
\nexpected.<\/p>\n
"They have the right to demand the type of education they
\nwant, determine who will provide it for them, when and where they
\ncan get it and how they should be getting it or how relevant the
\neducation is for them," Lycette said.<\/p>\n
Rihani pointed out that educational policies should benefit
\nthe majority of a society. Any policy benefiting only a small,
\nelite group of people, she said, "should be revisited or
\nreviewed".<\/p>\n
"The basis of an educational policy is that it must benefit as
\nmany people as possible," she said. "If it doesn't, it will not
\nhelp to empower the people, the poor and, in turn, the poor women
\nwho are among the most marginalized people in community."<\/p>\n
Lycette also emphasized the important, if not dominant, role
\nof the private sector -- as experienced by developed countries --
\nin providing sound educational facilities.<\/p>\n
Responding to a question on the role of vocational education
\nfrom Saparinah Sadli, Professor for Graduate Women's Studies at
\nthe University of Indonesia in Jakarta, Lycette said too many
\nvocational programs specializing in dress-making and other so-
\ncalled traditional skills were out of sync with the current
\nmarket demands.<\/p>\n
"Direct links with employers are needed to understand what
\nfields are most urgently needed," Lycette said.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Rihani said vocational studies should be "market-
\ndriven" instead of "skill-driven". New studies, she added, are
\nrequired to determine these market shifts.<\/p>\n
Rihani said policymakers may not always be aware of the
\ninequalities they create, although they may think they have
\nprovided equal access to education for both boys and girls.<\/p>\n
"In Egypt, for instance, if a school is located more than 1.5
\nkilometers away from the house, the percentage of girls dropping
\nout is significantly higher than boys," she said.<\/p>\n
According to the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and
\nCultural Organization (UNESCO), girls and women still represent
\ntwo-thirds of the world's illiterate population. They are also
\ngaining literacy at a slower rate than men.(pwn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/improve-schooling-for-women-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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