Punki Damor is a 7-year-old tribal girl from the Jhabua district of Gothaniya Petlavad, Madhya Pradesh. She is visually impaired and her parents faced a massive lack of resources in their quest to educate her. Her parents had been skeptical of the societal support their child would receive, but with a little effort from the community, they understood the crucial role of education in their child’s life. She was admitted to Sarasvati Devi Mohta Blind Girls School and is now academically and socially thriving. The traditionally rooted, patriarchal rural setup is now seeing a remarkable shift as parents aspire for their daughters to pursue higher education. Fueled by economic and social mobility, women are now on their way to becoming influential figures in the panchayats, rural markets, and community structures. The State of Elementary Education in Rural India Report 2023 by The Development Intelligence Unit states that 78% of rural parents aspire for their daughters to pursue graduation-level degrees. It was seen that 62.5% of mothers, despite being uneducated homemakers, supervised the academic growth of their children, effectively understanding the need for a good education. As much as success stories exist, a staggering 35% dropout rate for girls after primary education is a clear indication of the barriers present in their access to education. There is a need to address major obstacles such as financial constraints, lack of resources, and the gendering of the sphere of education. The solutions to these challenges must be comprehensive in the form of tailored financial support programs, and awareness campaigns to challenge gender norms in education and skill development initiatives. These steps would play a pivotal role in giving girls a safe, accessible, and high quality education.
Punki Damor: The story of Paradigm Shift in Access to Girl’s Education
