Problems of women’s education and role of Open University (Bangladesh perspective)

Abstract

This paper deals with the multifarious problems of educating girls and women of Bangladesh and shows how ODL and ICT can work to address these problems. Education is the light to which everybody has equal right. Men and women both are endowed with bright and noble faculties. So education cannot be an exclusive possession of any class, sect or sex. Unless women get proper education, all their prospective faculties get crippled. It is only by imparting proper education to them that we can expect them to discharge their duties nicely and decently. Moreover, we cannot have educated and ideal citizens when mothers themselves are not educated and potential. Social responsibilities should also be shared by men and women. The role of women in national life is as much important as men. Women empowerment and freedom of women have become a common issue nowadays in every corner of the globe. It is also the much-hyped issue and the most trying phenomenon of the moment. It entails a wide range of aspects including financial and decision making capacities of women. It also comes first in the pursuit of international development concept. But gender disparity is the underlying cause of the mounting human discrimination. It has been a powerful undercurrent in some of the emergent Asian country’s history, especially in Bangladesh. Regrettably speaking, equitable empowerment of the fair sex, supportive programs and technical assistance for gender equality is still a far cry. The gender issue is rapidly reaching a boiling point. In our male dominated society, women have been used as a commodity or as an instrument for sexual gratification from time immemorial. The discriminatory treatment has long-term negative effects on the body and mind of the girl children and women in a family. Due to superstitious belief, fanaticism and social constraints, our women are not exposed everywhere and naturally they cannot receive proper learning. Hopefully, this century is ushering an era of new hopes and aspirations for the women folk. Open and distance learning system may come up with a big hope for them. This paper recommends some measures which will show how distance learning system can promote ICT opportunities for women and create an enabling environment to support their self-determination and economic development. // Paper ID: 64