By developing broad-minded cooperation, respect between both sexes from a tender age, govt can indeed change society.
INDIA: This is with reference to the story “Policy to end gender inequality stressed” (February 28). Before expressing displeasure on women’s plight, the leaders of Pakistan should work sincerely to eradicate the injustice meted out to women in the name of traditions. Womenfolk residing in Pakistan’s rural areas are greater sufferers than their counterparts residing in urban areas. This is because of several reasons. Lack of education is the prime obstacle preventing women’s progress. No country can achieve progress without the active participation of the female community. Illiteracy among women is not a personal problem. It is a social evil and an obstacle to the country’s progress and well-being.
By developing broad-minded cooperation and respect between both sexes from a tender age, by encouraging co-education schools, the Pakistani government can indeed change society. But affluent persons and religious leaders of the country seem to be trying their best, in the name of respecting traditions, to discourage co-education by saying that this will harm society. I can say firmly that this tendency serves nothing good but surely creates an unnecessary attraction towards the opposite sex. If anyone opposes co-education, it does nothing but sow poisonous thoughts in tender minds of both sexes.
In my opinion, in addition to allowing co-education, teachers should create healthy competition between boys and girls by encouraging them to participate together in games like chess, badminton, cultural activities and group discussions to develop cooperation, mutual trust, compromise, friendliness and intimacy. Several great personalities have termed schools to be the temples of the modern age. The atmosphere in schools should not be flared up with unwelcome feelings in children’s minds due to restrictions on mingling freely with the opposite sex. If boys and girls grow up together in their houses, why should the same atmosphere not be provided in schools? By encouraging children to read good books and moral stories, which are essential for the young generation to build bright careers, schools can avoid any ‘mishaps’ that are alleged to arise because of co-education.
Pakistani society should not forget the fact that since generations, females have been treated as inferior to males. This mentality is nurtured among males since their childhood and this is the prime reason for atrocities against women. As Pakistan is a male-dominated society, by encouraging co-education, it can arrest the spread of these tendencies among the new generation to some extent by proving practically that both boys and girls are equal when it comes to intelligence, which is sufficient to create a healthy society in future.
Raghubabu Kondapi
Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh
Published in The Express Tribune, March 1st, 2014.
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