Gender-Specific Education Status after COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Study between Two Adjacent Subdivisions of West Bengal, India

Abstract

Education plays a crucial role in the empowerment of women. Nearly half of the world's population is female, and women often face barriers to achieve equal opportunities due to the dominance of masculine ideologies. The objective of this study is to compare the gender-specific education status between two neighbouring subdivisions: Barasat-I and Barrackpore-II, in the North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal. Researchers conducted structured interviews randomly within 60 adults to collect data for the study. The study revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the education system, particularly affected women's education. Furthermore, it had been observed that Hindu women were more empowered as compared to Muslim women. Another noteworthy finding was that the individuals lived in Kacha houses had exhibited greater empowerment than those lived in Pucca houses. This study underscores the pressing need to address gender inequalities and provide equal opportunities for female education. The lack of awareness regarding women's rights and government schemes for their welfare highlights the necessity for awareness campaigns and educational programs. Furthermore, recognizing the prevalence of child marriage, the government should proactively implement measures to tackle this issue. To empower women and promote education, governments should expand awareness campaigns, implement policies that ensure equal educational opportunities for girls, and work towards eliminating gender disparities for holistic development.