Talking about Girls' Education

29 June 2012, Kathmandu: When the country was celebrating ‘Asar 15’ -- the day for rice transplantation, a meeting of the Girls’ Education and Gender Development Network was organised by the Gender Equity Development Section (GEDS) of the Department of Education,  Ministry of Education.  It was attended by  47 members from  12 organisations and agencies.  

Journalist from Educational Pages,  Sumon Tuladhar of UNICEF and Geeta  Ghimire of GEDS/DOE discussing details about the meeting

Geeta Ghimire initiates the meeting

Members deliberate on the logo of the Network proposed by an artist.

 Since there were many comments on the proposed logo, it was decided  that suggestions would to be sought from a couple of artists who would be  provided with criteria of agreed-on elements that the logo should incorporate.

Director General of the Department of Education, Mr. Mahashram Sharma arrives at the meeting.

Addressing the gathering Mr. Sharma stressed on the importance of coordinated efforts to further the cause of girls’ education. “While such efforts to promote girls’ education,  including the mobilisation of former CA members, have been happening at the central level, we need the Network members to work in a concerted and coordinated manner at the local level as well,”  he said.

He also advised the members to think of innovative ways on how to bring in those 5 percent children who are still out of school, as well as ways to address the high dropout rates of girls.

Reflecting on the overly negative coverage of education issues in the national media, Mr. Sharma urged the media representatives not to just focus on what is not happening.  “Please be sure to also talk about the positive things, the progress that have been made  in the education sector in the country.”

 Next Dr. Ganapati Ojha  shared the highlights of the Final Report of the “Formative Evaluation of UNGEI” undertaken in 2010 in Bara & Rautahat districts of Nepal to analyse  the relevance, effectiveness, efficacy and contributions of UNGEI.

 Summing up the impact that UNGEI has had, Dr. Ojha said that unlike in other countries, where UNGEI was looked upon as a project, in Nepal UNGEI had become the government’s agenda, and part and parcel of its promotion of EFA.

While UNGEI had a modest and indirect contribution in mainstreaming girls’ education and equity issues in the National Education Plan, its contribution in the institutionalisation of best practices was notable.  These best practices included the piloting of Young Champions, Welcome to School, the  involvement of Constituent Assembly members in promoting girls’ education, as well as the joint programming  in five districts between UNICEF and WFP.

Dr. Ojha said that since database management was not properly done, it had hampered UNGEI’s institutional memory.  He also said that coordination amongst various partners engaged in girls’ education did not meet expectations due to lack of clarity on priorities, as well as the lack of resources.

He noted that UNGEI’s contribution in building the capacity of gender focal points in the government machinery to bring in more girls to schools was notable, although more needs to be done to reach the yet unreached, to retain girls in school, to make an even more engendered curricula, and to take action against sexual harassment in schools.

 He also suggested improving database management for UNGEI, to make the plan of action smarter, and to include more global UNGEI partners in the country chapter as well.

Speaking next, Raka Rashid, Education Advisor of UNICEF ROSA explained the global process f UNGEI evaluation.  She said that of the countries that underwent the evaluation to analyse the TOR, the joint workplan and budget allocation, only Uganda was seen to have met all three criteria in a satisfactory manner.  Nepal, she said fared better than many countries, but had room for improvement. “We need more players, and need to review the context,” she said.

Dr. Pashupati Mahat from the Centre for Mental Health Counselling next gave a presentation on Psychogenic Faint, commonly referred to as ‘mass hysteria’ in the schools of Nepal.  He said that lack of understanding of the causes and nature of the condition is what led to fainting spells in girls that has hampered education in many schools.

The audience was intrigued to learn that this phenomenon that largely affected adolescent girls arose from them not being able to cope with stress—either in the family or in the school.  It was often triggered by an ‘index case’ a susceptible girl who faints and triggers sensitive peers around her to faint too.  “If a girl only faints during the presence of others, and never alone,  it is a case of Psychogenic Faint,” said Dr. Mahat.  “This condition is like a cry of help, and a way of calling attention upon themselves, and their fears”  He added that such fainting spells  normally occur due to the girls’ fear of exams, homework, sexual harassment or threats, parental discord or lack of family support as well as interpersonal relationships.

He said that while such ‘index’ cases could need counselling, separating them from their peers when the symptoms start is the best way of preventing others from being affected in the same way too.  Dr. Mahat said that schools staff could help by reducing attention to the index cases during manifestation of symptoms and  keeping them away from the group until they return to normal.  They also need to explore the underlying causes of stress of the girls, practice fearless teaching methodologies and also provide counselling services in schools.

Participants of the meeting found the presentation very useful and said that it was important to seek ways to provide orientation to all teachers and school management  on this important issue.

Dibya Dawadi, Chief of GEDS/DOE from the Department of Education then led the group through the suggested resource materials for inclusion in the toolkits for gender focal points

The meeting concluded with Dr. Sumon Tuladhar of UNICEF urging all members not to let their guards down because of the good indicators for gender parity. “Gender parity should not be limited to reflection in numbers.  We have to explore issues of equality and equity and gauge the impact we have made in empowering girls. That is why knowledge sharing is important.”

Report and pictures by Rupa Joshi