Gender and Social Equity in Primary Education: Hierarchies of Access

Gender and Social Equity in Primary Education: Hierarchies of Access - Book Review

12 September, 2012

The book, 'Gender and Social Equity in Primary Education: Hierarchies of Access' is a search-based book which combines secondary analysis of the existing data with field studies conducted in six states to analyze the hierarchies of access to primary education in the country.

THE LEAD author and editor, Vimala Ramachandran, observes that India has made impressive strides in increasing the overall literacy rates and in enabling access to education in the recent past, and now it is the time to concentrate on providing universal and good quality basic education with equity.

While exploring gender and social equity issues in primary education, the book published by Sage Publishers concludes that there is a subtle but nevertheless discernible hierarchy of access to education, which has resulted in new forms of segregation in primary schools.

Study after study has validated that primary enrolment and attendance rates are lower for girls than boys indicating some son preference in regard to access to education confirming the hierarchies of access with most communities.

On the basis of the findings of the desk review and the micro studies, this 381-page valuable book in paperback discusses ways to reverse the trend of segregation so as to make universal primary education a substantive reality in India.

The book, being a research study, is a valuable addition for the functionaries and educational planners engaged in the projects of universalization of elementary education.