Newspapers and TV channels covering the success of female students right after board exam results are announced is a wholesome sight, but it should not be mistaken as a testimony of women's empowerment done right. The sad reality is that, for many of them, it will be their last academic triumph.

A report titled "Bangladesh Education Statistics 2021" from the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) shows that there is a significant decline in the rate of girls' enrollment after college, and this trend continues as they progress through higher education. According to the report, in 2020, out of 55.41 percent of girls who were enrolled in middle school from sixth to eighth grade, only 40.78 percent of them pursued a master's degree. Behind such a decline, there are a number of contributing factors with financial barriers being one of them.

In low-income households, girls are often viewed as a liability and spending money on their education is deemed an unwanted expense. The scenario, unfortunately, is also prevalent in many solvent families who believe that spending on their daughters' weddings is a far better investment. This is where such scholarship opportunities come to their rescue.

Women-only scholarships provide female students with partial financial support. The criteria for availing this facility may vary depending on the institution. Some institutions award it based on merit, some provide it based on financial needs, and some keep it allocated for all the female students, regardless of their socio-economic background.

These scholarships, however, have been labeled as a "double-standard" by many, as they believe it defies what feminism preaches – equality. According to the flag bearers of equality, scholarships for women are "special advantages" that put their counterparts at a disparity. Their claim is that if equality is what women are fighting for, then why should they receive aid that men cannot?

To address this "double standard," the thin line between equality and equity needs to be understood. While equality is the term we casually throw in debates, it is not always the most effective way to approach every situation. Equality, in most cases, preaches a one-size-fits-all solution, whereas equity acknowledges unique circumstances.

Equality is Cinderella's lost slipper that can change life dramatically for those who can fit their foot into it. But the unfortunate reality is that a glass slipper will not fit everyone, and for them, we will need a pair that they can actually walk in.

Preaching the slogan of equality without trying to identify the root causes of the problem is futile. As long as society fails to provide women with basic human rights, we must look for solutions of equity.

More girls are pursuing education and occupying important positions now. There is no denying that progress has been made. But the amount of societal and systematic barriers they have to push through to achieve the same goal as a man, is greater still, and this is not what equality should look like.

So, until the day comes, we will have to seek tools that can drill through hindrances that stand in the way of women's basic rights. And till then, we will need advantages like women-only scholarships to exist, facilitate, and be in effect.

Reference:

The Daily Star. (2 July, 2022) Why Are Girls Falling Behind in Higher Education?

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