The female students are enrolling in huge number in primary and secondary level in the country keeping pace with the male students as the Awami League (AL) government has taken different promotional policies to encourage women education.
 
Experts said the presence of women is high in primary and secondary level in the country despite their participation is comparatively low in higher secondary and higher education level.
 
The present government’s different education related policies increased enrollment of women in primary and secondary level, they said, seeking government’s more steps for ensuring female students’ presence in huge number in higher education level as well.
 
According to Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BBEIS), the ratio of girl students is 50.75 percent in primary level, 55.14 percent in junior school level (sixth grade to eight grade) and 51.65 percent in secondary level (ninth grade to tenth grade).
 
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said a lot of improvement and progress have taken place in country’s education sector and the students are also doing well.
 
The development of the education system has been possible through the proper inclusion, analysis and proper use of information on education, she added.
Though, the girl students outnumber the boys in some cases in primary and secondary level, but the ratio of girl students is 46.97 percent in the higher secondary level, 41.39 percent at degree level and 36.07 percent at masters’ level.
 
Sources said in university level, a total of 6, 76,623 students are studying at 42 public universities across the country. Among the total students, 2, 51,004 are girl students which is 37.09 percent of total students.
 
Apart from this, a total of 10,28,314 students are studying at 103 private universities. Of them, 3,49,045 are girl students which is 27.88 percent of the total students.
 
Purnima Barua (pseudonym) used to live at Bilchari village in Chawkaria upazila of Cox’s Bazar district. She passed SSC exam in 2015 with CGPA 4.50. After passing the SSC exams, she was admitted to a local college. But, she didn’t continue her education as her parents forced her to marry.
 
Experts said poverty, lack of residential facility and marriage are the main barriers for girl students in higher education level.
 
But, the present government is seen taking a lot of programmes to improve living and livelihood conditions of the people, encouraging them to enroll their daughters in higher education level than before, they said.