“They refused to send me to school,” expressed my grandmother.
“They were unable to afford university for me,” disclosed my mother.
Education, a fundamental entitlement for my grandmother, was unjustly withheld from her.
Throughout her 75 years, she remained illiterate, only recognizing the letters A, B, and C. Her inability to read proved to be a persistent and crippling challenge, causing her immense shame.
Despite her role as the matriarch, her input in significant family decisions was often disregarded. Manipulated due to her lack of literacy, she was unjustly denied her rightful share of the inheritance.
Suffering from diabetes for many years, she eventually became bedridden in her final months. The information that could have eased her pain and improved her well-being remained inaccessible to her, mere incomprehensible scribbles on a page.
Comparatively, my mother had slightly more opportunities. She had the chance to acquire literacy skills.
However, post high school, while her peers pursued higher education in the capital or other Commonwealth nations, her options were limited to menial jobs, secretarial positions, or teacher training college.
Coming from a family with an annual income of only US$1,000, the cost of a three-year university education, which was at least double their yearly earnings, was simply unattainable.
Thus, while others ascended to become judges and ministers, my mother, possessing the intelligence and charisma befitting a Fortune 500 CEO, dedicated three decades of her life to teaching, raising me and my siblings.
In the year 2024, it is disheartening that I must recount their stories of constrained opportunities, shaped not by their choices, but by societal biases and financial constraints.
Despite notable progress:
- Among 195 countries, 49% have achieved gender equality in primary education, with 37.9 million out-of-school children and adolescents receiving education in 2022.
- In 2021, 44% of international bachelor’s and master’s students in the US were female, with 40% pursuing PhDs.
- The global representation of women in senior management roles reached a record high of 32% in 2022.
The significance of women’s education is exemplified in a photograph depicting two female presidents, Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines (center-left) and Megawati Sukarnoputri of Indonesia (center-right) at a 2003 summit in Kuala Lumpur. Despite these advancements, women still hold only 32% of senior management positions globally. Source: AFP
While these achievements are commendable, they do not obscure the substantial gaps that persist. Annually, the call to accelerate progress echoes like a broken record, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Considering the rise of extremist leaders in numerous countries and the scarcity of competent women equipped to navigate the complexities of the world, the shortage of skilled women becomes a pressing issue.
Therefore, I recount the educational deficiencies faced by my grandmother and mother as a precursor to my suggestion for readers on this year’s International Women’s Day.
I urge individuals to visit Study International’s homepage and explore the diverse journeys of girls and women who have ventured beyond their homelands to become the future’s highly educated professionals, professors, and presidents.
Among these inspirational stories are:
- An Ecuadorian fulfilling her childhood aspiration as an engineer with a master’s degree.
- A former beauty queen holding two master’s degrees and two PhDs.
- A medical student admitted to Queen’s University Belfast after initially receiving four rejections from her desired UK universities.
- An Indian woman, previously dismissed as an “expat wife,” who redefined herself as an executive coach contributing to Forbes and Harvard Business Review.
These narratives, among many others, have the potential to rewrite the tales of my grandmother and mother, paving the way for a more inclusive and empowered future. Join this transformative journey.