Why do you think do parents accord less priority to girls education as compared to boys? Discuss in the class.

Based on the figures in Table 6, fill the following:

Out of every 100 girls above 6 years of age, ______girls had studied beyond the primary level in Himachal Pradesh in the year 1993. By the year 2006, this proportion reached _____ out of 100. For India as a whole, the proportion of boys who had studied beyond primary level was only _____out of 100 in the year 2006.

What is the per capita income of Himachal Pradesh? Do you think higher incomes can make it easier for parents to send children to school? Discuss. Why was it necessary for the government to run schools in Himachal Pradesh?

What is the relationship between women’s work outside their homes and gender bias?

Right to Education Act, 2009 (RTE) declares that all children from 6 to 14 years of age have the right to free education, and the government has to ensure the building of sufficient schools in the neighbourhood, appoint properly qualified teachers and make all the necessary provisions. In the light of what you have read in this chapter and already know, discuss and debate the importance of this Act for (i) children, and (ii) human development.