By July 1997, the gap between girls' and boys' enrollment in the project area was virtually eliminated. Girls receiving Secondary School Certificates increased from 42 percent in 1996 to 52 percent in 1997. Equally salutary, close to 100 percent of primary-age girls are in school. The government is now aiming to target the poorest by oVering them higher stipends. However, given the poverty of the entire country, the government may have difficulty continuing the stipends.
Sustainability is a matter still to be tackled.
The number of female teachers has increased but remains at around 7 percent of all new recruits. The project is redoubling efforts but the gap will be hard to close. Limited job opportunities, intertwined with cultural restrictions, discourage women from seeking jobs. That the project cannot recruit enough female teachers is symptomatic of the low numbers of educated adult women. Only with economic development, increased job opportunities, and a continuing change in attitudes can one expect a broader impact on the lives of Bangladeshi women.