Poverty VS. Gender: What Is The Real Culprit In Hampering Access To Education?

Educating students in the primary and secondary schools have always been on the top of the list of the United Nations. Recently, it has increased its efforts to increase and participation in the tertiary level. The education experts consider the United Nation's effort to improve higher education access among the poorest countries in the world a historic moment.

Even the United Nation's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 is focused on reducing gender inequality. It aims to empower women by making quality and affordable education more accessible to them. The goal is to boost the attendance of women in different educational levels, including vocation and university education. But experts claim gender inequality is not just the problem.

Two educators from the University of Cambridge warned that the campaign to reduce gender inequality in education will only lead to other inequalities in education brought about by poverty. A study conducted by the University of Oxford found that the participation gap in education remained wide due to the disparity in income and not gender, according to Times Higher Education.

Education is not only an intrinsic right for girls but is also an important factor in achieving their development objectives, according to UNICEF. Proper education will help women break the poverty cycle. Women who are educated will most likely not be pushed into involuntary marriages. When women make intelligent decisions when it comes to marriage, there is a greater chance that their babies will be a lot healthier. They will also have more opportunities to go to school.

Many governments have removed some of the barriers to accessible education by abolishing fees and uniform requirements, as per One. But poor families are on the rise, and for them, it is more beneficial to keep the children at home or at work, instead of sending them to school. With the many challenges faced by the education sector including lack of classrooms, scarcity of teachers and even lack of school supplies, it is not enough that gender inequality is reduced but it is also important to check the levels of poverty.

What do you think is the best solution to eradicate gender inequality? Share your thoughts below.