Opportunities for girls

Year level: Upper primary Learning outcome Students will examine the reasons why some children, especially girls, miss out on an education and what is being done to address these problems. Discuss in small groups: Why is education important? What helps students learn? What stops students from learning? How are these barriers to learning overcome? Brainstorm ways girls and boys might be treated differently at school. Discuss why you think they are treated differently and whether this is good or bad. Read Opening up the world, educating girls in Pakistan or Child friendly schools, Community building in Mozambique Create a two-column table. In the left column list reasons students do not attend school and in the right list some of the activities being undertaken to address these reasons. Highlight those that are aimed mainly at girls. Discuss Why are girls treated differently in some parts of the country? How effective do you think the programs aimed at improving life for girls might be? Do you think treating girls and boys differently at school is good or bad? Why or why not? Imagine your small group is advising the Minister for Education about providing education in a rural area in the country. Your task is to prepare a budget to provide a quality free education for the 1,000 school-aged students (500 girls and 500 boys) in your area. You have a budget of $4,000 for the year. There are currently 20 teachers and 20 classrooms. There are 700 children attending school, 100 who are unable to attend because they live in remote villages, and only half the school-age girls are enrolled. Use an Excel spreadsheet to plan your budget for one year based on the following figures: Curriculum writer to improve school program $300 per subject Training current teachers $25 per teacher Training new teachers $250 per teacher Teacher salaries $200 per teacher per year Building new school $75 per classroom Textbooks $5 per student Uniforms $20 per student How will you encourage parents to send their daughters to school? How might you involve the community to support the school? How will you make sure students are learning? What size will the classes be? Share you spreadsheets with another group. Assessment task Imagine you are a teacher in a rural area. Write a letter or prepare some points to discuss with parents who are not sending their daughters to your school.