Journal of Global Resources

Volume 3

July 2016
Page 68-74
ISSN: 2395-3160 (Print), 2455-2445 (Online)

8RURAL-URBAN SCENARIO OF GIRLS’ EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF GOA
Sandesh Yadav1* Haseena Hashia2 Tariq Ahmad Ganaie1
1
Research Scholar, 2Professor
Department of Geography, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India*Email: sandesh_official@yahoo.in
Abstract: Girls’ education is of utmost importance as educated girls can play a vital role in thedevelopment of the country. Girls’ education serves as the base of women empowerment
because it makes them aware regarding their rights, broadens their intellectual horizon anddevelops self-confidence to confront their traditional roles and change their life. Girls’
education is the most powerful tool of change of position of women in society. Education also
plays a role in reduction in inequalities and functions as a means of improving their status
within the family. But girls’ education is moving at a varying pace in the rural areas and theurban areas. The present research paper deals with the varying pace of girls’ education andidentifies the various causes of the existing variation in the status of girls’ education in the rural
areas and the urban areas in the taluks of the state of Goa. The findings of the present
research paper are shocking and surprising and shows that rural areas are far ahead thantheir urban counterparts in terms education and the education related facilities. Further, girl’s
education has shown tremendous improvement during the period.
Key words: Girls’ Education, Educational Aspects, Literacy Rate, Enrollment.
Introduction
Education in the present scenario is experiencing the dual problem. Firstly, the problem ofgender disparity in the educational institutions (both private and public educational institutions)and the second problem is the varying pace of education in the rural areas and the urban
areas of the same region. Now if we talk about girls’ education then we will realize that girls’
education is suffering the most because firstly it is lagging behind at the institution level due toinappropriate representation of the girls and secondly, it is most affected by the varying paceof education in the rural areas and the urban areas of the same region. Thus, varying pace ofeducation in the rural areas and the urban areas have added fuel to the fire and dragged girls’
education behind and therefore, jeopardizing the future of girls’ education in India. But, theState of Goa presents the entirely different picture where rural areas are far ahead than theirurban counterparts in terms of education and the facilities related to education. And, if we talkabout the girl’s education in the State of Goa then the statistical figure shows tremendous
improvement during the period 1971-2011 on a whole. Moreover, the scenario of girls’
education is much far ahead in the rural areas than in the urban areas of different talukas in
the State of Goa. And with such positive improvements in the girls’ education it can bepositively said that in a very near future the State of Goa will attain gender parity in the field ofeducation both in rural areas and the urban areas.

68The present research paper deals with the problem of varying pace of girls’ educationin the rural areas and the urban areas in the talukas of Goa. The present research study
involves the assessment of infrastructural facilities, enrollment in the schools of the urbanareas and the rural areas of talukas of Goa. Further, the research paper tries to find out the all
possible reasons behind the differential pace of girl’s education in the rural areas and theurban areas of talukas of Goa. In the end, recommendations and suggestions have been
made to improve the pace of girls’ education in the State of Goa.
Objective
The main objective of my research study is to carry out the comparative analysis of the girls’
education scenario in the rural and the urban areas in the State of Goa.
Methodology
The present research study begins with the assessment of current scenario of education
during the period 1971-2011 in the State of Goa. This step involves the analysis on the basisof literacy rate on a whole, male literacy rate and the female literacy rate both at the state level
and at the taluka level.
The second step involves the comparative study of education scenario in the rural areas
and the urban areas of different talukas of Goa. Here, the education scenario is being
discussed in terms of infrastructural support (in terms of number of schools) and theenrollment of female students in the schools of the rural areas and the urban areas of different
talukas of Goa. The criterion adopted for carrying out the assessment of infrastructural support
and the enrollment of female students can be summed up as under:••

To carry out the assessment of infrastructural support the research study focuses onschool education. In the State of Goa, the schools falls under the following category:
1. Primary schools.
2. Middle schools.
3. High schools.
4. Higher secondary schools.
To carry out the assessment of enrollment of female students in the schools classes
were grouped together in the following manner:
1. I-IV.
2. V-VII.
3. VIII-X.

The present research study do not involves “Dropout Rates” because the available data ofdropout rate is of state level and is inefficient in tracing out the educational scenario in the ruraland the urban areas in the State of Goa.
Sources of Data
This study is completed best on secondary data which is obtained from different sources andsurveys. The secondary data is mainly drawn from the following agencies:• Directorate of Education, Government of Goa, Goa.
• Census of India, Government of India, India.
• Magazines, newspapers, books etc.
69Study AreaAdministratively, Goa is divided into North Goa district comprising of Tiswadi, Bardez, Pernem,Bicholim, Satari and Ponda talukas and South Goa district comprising of Marmugao, Salcette,
Canacona and Queperm talukas. Out of 11 talukas only four talukas (Salcette, Tiswadi,Bardez, Marmugao) share coastal location.
Current Scenario of Education in the State of Goa
The literacy rate of Goa shows rising trend during the period 1971-2011. The literacy rateincreased tremendously from 45% (1971) to 87% (2011). If we talk about male literacy rate
and female literacy rate then the statistical data shows that females (81.84%, 2011) arelagging behind the males (92.81%, 2011) but the existing gap between male literacy rate andfemale literacy rate is not too much and will be narrowed down in the near future. Apart from
this, if we talk about urban and rural scenario then literacy rate in urban areas is 89.31%(2011) and literacy rate in rural areas is 84.26% (2011). This gap in literacy rate of rural areas
and the urban areas shows that there are some factors due to which rural areas are lagging
behind from their urban counterparts.
Table 1 Taluka-Wise Sex Based Literacy Rate in the State of Goa, 1971-2011, Goa
TalukaPernemBardezBicholim
SattariTiswadi
Ponda
Sanguem
QuepemCanacona
SalceteMormugao

1971
M
53
66
55
36
62
52
40
43
42
56
56

1981
F
25
47
29
17
44
31
21
29
26
42
36

M
68
75
68
51
72
69
55
54
53
65
65

1991
F
44
59
45
27
56
46
34
37
38
51
48

M
87
88
87
78
87
86
75
75
76
82
84

Source: Directorate of Education, Government of Goa, Goa

2001
F
64
74
66
53
73
66
55
57
57
68
70

M
90
91
92
87
91
91
84
82
8188892011F
72
82
76
67
79
76
66
68
54
78
77

M
93
94
94
91
94
94
90
88
89
92
94

F
80
87
82
75
85
83
73
75
77
84
76

(M= Males F=Female)Table.2 shows data related to taluka-wise study of literacy rate. During the year 1971 thefemale literacy rate in each taluka of Goa was about half of male literacy rate. With thepassage of time this gap between the male literacy rate and the female literacy rate in eachtaluka of Goa narrowed down. In the present scenario, male literacy rate and the female
literacy rate are about to achieve equilibrium.
Girl’s Education Scenario in Rural and Urban Areas
The assessment of girl’s education level in the rural areas and the urban areas of Goa isbased on the following indicators:• Number of schools.
• Enrollment of female students during the period 2001-2011.

70

Number of Schools
Here, the research study will focus on the number of schools belonging to the primary level,
Middle level, High School Level and Higher Secondary Level in the rural areas and the urban
areas of each taluka of Goa. The data collected regarding the number of schools reflects theinfrastructural support, capacity to admit students, nature of efforts of government of that
region/State. Table.3 shows data related to the number of schools in the rural areas and theurban areas of each taluka of Goa. Table shows that number of schools, at all the levels are
surprisingly more in rural areas then in the urban areas. The data in the table shows that out of1236 primary schools in Goa, 80.58% are in rural areas and 19.41% in urban areas; out of 446
middle schools, 71.76% are in rural areas and 28.25% in urban areas; out of 395 Highschools, 71.64% are in rural areas and 28.35% in urban areas; out of 92 Higher Secondaryschools, 56.52% are in rural areas and 43.47% in urban areas. Thus, it is clear from theanalysis of data that number of schools is more in rural areas as compared to their urban
counterparts. Further, the number of schools decreases both in rural areas and the urban
areas as we move up in the levels of education i.e. from primary level to higher secondary
level.
Table 2 Number of Schools (Taluka-wise), 2011, Goa
Taluka’s Name

Primary schoolsMiddle schools

High schools

PernemBardezBicholim
SattariTiswadi
Ponda
Sanguem
QuepemCanacona
SalceteMarmugao
TOTAL

Rural
97127
84
107
71
158
113
54
71
8628996

Rural
2754
25233240
21
15
1748
18
320

Rural
30
47
221628
39
19
12
14
43
13283

Urban
624
211231
9628
1256
35
240

Urban
4137618726628
29126

Urban
311761862642425
112

Higher secondary
schoolsRural
Urban
319242127101122113121093652
40

Source: Directorate of Education, Government of Goa, Goa.

Table 3 Number of Schools in the Rural Areas and the Urban Areas of Goa, 2011, Goa

RuralUrban
Total

Primary Schools

Middle Schools

High Schools

No. ofSchools

No. ofSchools

No. ofSchools

996
240
1236%age of
No. ofSchools
80.58%
19.42%

320
126
446

%age ofNo. ofSchools
71.74%
28.26%

Source: Self Calculated by the Scholar from the Table 271283
112
395%age ofNo. ofSchools
71.64%
28.36%

Higher Secondary
Schools
No. of%age of
Schools
No. ofSchools
5256.52%4043.47%92

Enrollment of Female Students
The data available for the enrollment of students in the rural areas and the urban areas of Goa
is grouped in the following manner:• Students enrolled in classes I-IV
• Students enrolled in classes V-VII• Students enrolled in classes VIII-X
Table.4 shows the data related to enrollment of students in the rural areas and the urban
areas of Goa, out of total 98973 students enrolled in classes I-IV, 57.91% are in rural areas
and 41.09% in urban areas; out of total 72529 students enrolled in classes V-VII, 57.37% arein rural areas and 43.63% in urban areas; out of total 76629 students enrolled in classes VII-X,
59.17% in rural areas and 40.83% in urban areas.
Table 4 Enrollment of Students in the Rural Areas and the Urban Areas of Goa, 2011, Goa
I-IV
Students
Enrolled
Rural
Urban
Total

V-VII
%age ofStudent
Enrolled
57.91%
42.09%

57310
41663
98973

Students
Enrolled
41610
30919
72529

VIII-X%age ofStudent
Enrolled
57.37%
42.63%

Students
Enrolled
45344
31285
76629

%age ofStudent
Enrolled
59.17%
40.83%

Source: Directorate of Education, Government of Goa, Goa

Table.5 and Table.6 shows the sex based enrollment of students in the rural areas and theurban areas of Goa. Out of 49630 males enrolled in the class I-IV, 58.86% in rural areas and41.14% in urban areas while out of 49343 females enrolled for the same classes, 56.93% in
rural areas and 43.07% in urban areas. Out of 37943 males enrolled in the class V-VII,
57.84% are in rural areas and 41.96% in urban areas while out of 34659 females enrolled forthe same classes, 56.73% in rural areas and 43.27% in urban areas. Out of 39278 males
enrolled in the classes VIII-X, 50% in rural areas and 42% in urban areas while out of 37351
females enrolled for the same classes, 60.40% in rural areas and 39.60% in urban areas.
Table 5 Sex Based Enrollment of Students in Rural and Urban Areas of Goa, 2011
I-IV
RuralUrban
Total‘M’ enrolled
29217
20413
49630

‘F’ enrolled
28093
21250
49343

V-VII
‘M’ enrolled‘F’ enrolled
21947
19663
15923
14996
37943
34659

Source: Directorate of Education of Goa, Goa

VIII-X‘M’ enrolled‘F’ enrolled
22782
22562
16496
14789
39278
37351

(M= males F= females)

Table 6 Sex Based Enrollment of Students in Rural and Urban Areas of Goa, 2011

RuralUrban

I-IV%age of ‘M’%age of ‘F’enrolled
enrolled
58.86%
56.93%
41.14%
43.07%

V-VII%age of ‘M’%age of ‘F’enrolled
enrolled
57.84%
56.73%
41.96%
43.27%

Source: Directorate of Education of Goa, Goa

VIII-X%age of ‘M’%age of ‘F’enrolled
enrolled
58.00%
60.40%
42.00%
39.60%(M= males F= females)72Key Findings
The key findings of the present research study can be summed up as under:• The literacy rate of Goa increased tremendously from 45% (Census, 1971) to 87%(Census, 2011). In the State of Goa, females (81.84%, 2011) are lagging behind themales (92.81%, 2011).
• The literacy rate in urban areas is 89.31% (Census, 2011) while in rural areas, it is84.26% (Census, 2011).
• During the year 1971, the female literacy rate in each taluka of Goa was about half ofmale literacy rate and with the passage of time this gap between the male literacy rate
and the female literacy rate in each taluka narrowed down.
• Number of schools, at all levels, are surprisingly more in rural areas then in the urban
areas in Goa.
• In total, there are 1236 primary schools (80.58% in rural areas and 19.41% in urbanareas); 446 middle schools (71.76% in rural areas and 28.25% in urban areas); 395
High schools (71.64% in rural areas and 28.35% in urban areas) and 92 Higher
Secondary schools (56.52% in rural areas and 43.47% in urban areas).
• Number of schools decreases both in rural areas and the urban areas as we move up
in the levels of education i.e. from primary level to higher secondary level.
• In total, there are 98973 students (57.91% in rural areas & 41.09% in urban areas)
enrolled in classes’ I-IV; 72529 students (57.37% in rural areas and 42.63% in urbanareas) enrolled in classes V-VII and 76629 students (59.17% in rural areas and40.83% in urban areas) enrolled in classes VIII-X.
• In total, there are 49630 males (58.86% in rural areas and 41.14% in urban areas)
enrolled in classes’ I-IV; 37943 males (57.84% in rural areas and 41.96% in urbanareas) enrolled in classes V-VII and 39278 males (58% in rural areas and 42% inurban areas) enrolled in classes VIII-X.
• In total, there are 49343 females (56.93% in rural areas and 43.07% in urban areas)
enrolled in classes’ I-IV; 34659 females (56.73% in rural areas and 43.27% in urbanareas) enrolled in classes V-VII and 37351 females (60.40% in rural areas and 39.60%in urban areas) enrolled in classes VIII-X.
Conclusion
The research study conducted above shows that rural areas are far ahead in terms ofinfrastructural support in terms of number of institutions/schools as compared to their urban
counterparts. Further, rural areas are occupying major share in total enrollment (both male andfemale), enrollment of male student and enrollment of female students than the urban areas.
The research study, further, shows that the State of Goa will attain gender parity in the field of
education both in rural areas and the urban areas.
Acknowledgment
I would like to acknowledge, Prof. Manzoor Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief, Jan Madhyam, Lucknow,
Uttar Pradesh for his guidance and comprehensive understanding related to various aspectsof education system in Goa.

73

I would also like to acknowledge, Prof. Mohd. Ishtiaque, Honorable Vice-Chancellor, MagadhUniversity, Bodh Gaya, Bihar, for his unending motivation and encouragement during thecompletion of this research article
References
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2. Census of India (2011). Government of India, India.
3. Ernst & Young (2011). 40 Million by 2020: Preparing for a New Paradigm in Indian
Higher Education.
4. Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of School Education &Literacy, (2007). Chapter on Elementary Education (SSA & Girls Education) for theXIth Plan Working Group Report
5. Planning Commission of India (2012). Data for use of Deputy Chairman, Planning
Commission available at http://planningcommission.nic.in/ data/datatable/ 1705/
databook_dch_160511.pdf
6. Planning Commission of India, (2011). Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012), Social
Sector, Vol.II
7. Vimal, Ramchandran (1998). Girls’and Womens’ Education
Web Links
1. http://www.unevoc.unesco.org/up/India_Country_Paper.pdf
2. http://www.indiaedu.com/haryana/
3. http://censusindia.gov.in/
4. http://www.asercentre.org/74