Dear World, 

We have a problem. 132 million girls are out of school around the world. Still more never make it to high school. Of those girls who go to high school, still fewer go on to college. The continent of Africa has the most girls out of school, with only ¼ of girls there actually attending school. Two-thirds of illiterate people in Africa are women. Things like violence, child marriage, and dangers in walking to school can affect how many girls are in school. It is scientifically proven that having girls go to school not only greatly improves their life, but also improves the world. Many organizations are helping to get girls into school world-wide, but it is not enough until every single girl has the opportunity for an education. 

The first step to getting girls proper education is knowing where to help. Almost one out of every two girls who is out of school lives in sub-saharan Africa. One in four girls out of school lives in Asia. Some of the toughest places for girls to get an education include South Sudan, with seventy-three percent of girls without schooling, Niger, where only seventeen percent of women and girls ages fifteen to twenty-four are literate, Burkina Faso, where only one percent of girls complete secondary school, and many, many, other countries. 

Many barriers block the way of girls getting education. Among these are poverty, child marriage, child pregnancy, dangers in getting to school, too many chores, school violence, cultural norms, funding issues, child labor, poor sanitation, and war zones. Girls who do not have secondary educations are three times as likely to be in a child marriage. When girls are married they are expected to drop out of school to take care of their home and family. If they do decide that they want to go back to school, it is very difficult to re-join. Some countries even forbid pregnant and married girls to go to school. Some girls who are not in school for varius are forced into marriages by their parents, who see marriage as the next best option to school. Other parents don’t let their girls go to school because they feel that education is not important for girls to receive. Still other parents keep their children out of school because the education level is so poor, and they see it as not worth it. Other girls are out of school because of dangers on the walk to school. Some of these dangers include robbery, rape, animals, river crossings, unmaintained bridges, being hit by cars, kidnapping, and the trauma of death of friends. Sometimes, girls are given so many household chores that they do not have time for school. Girls who do go to school against cultural norms often face violence from other students, teachers, parents, extremists, or any other person. Girls are sometimes bullied, verbally harassed, sexually harassed, sexually abused, or given bodily punishment. Child labor also prevents girls from getting to school. Working children are more likely to miss school due to their jobs. Children who do work and go to school often have low grades and performance rates, due to their jobs taking up time that could be spent studying. 

Many jobs are male dominated. This could be for several reasons, but a leading cause is the education that it takes to get these jobs. Many jobs which do not have as many women in them require high degrees in math, science, engineering, and technology. In 2018, only thirty-eight percent of all computer science majors were women. In 2015, only twenty five percent of engineering graduates were women. In all of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), only thirty-five percent of all bachelors, masters, and PHDs were earned by women. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has created a huge learning loss for girls. Because school cannot continue in some places, girls get extra housework or childcare. Likely, these chores will be continued after pandemic times. These chores take up much time, and can cut into time that would otherwise be used for learning. Loss of income from parents can make girls take on paying jobs, and they can’t go to school. During the pandemic, some parents decide that instead of school an early marriage or pregnancy would be the best option. Even if school does continue for girls, many girls are not given computer courses, so they do not feel as comfortable using computers. This may make them decide to drop out of school, rather than put themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Women and girls are also less likely to have internet connections then men and boys. Places to report violence against girls are closed, so girls that do go to school and face problems have no protection. Likewise, support networks are no longer able to travel to help girls get the education they need.

Having girls get an education has many benefits to many people. First off, girls are more likely to take jobs that interest them and pay well. This brings in more equal wealth between men and women, and can also help keep themselves, and/or their families out of poverty. Additionally, women who finish schooling are less likely to have large amounts of children, lowering the population. Daughters of educated women are more likely to get education themselves, which brings even more girls to school. Women who go to school are also more likely to know about their legal rights, and can defend themselves in court. 

Lots of organizations are helping girls to go to and go back to school. Numbers of girls in school are on the rise. During Covid-19, some schools are giving students paper work packets and booklets with information about the virus. Some schools even have teachers and facilitators that help with schoolwork by arranging home visits. Other programs include online education sites, emergency support, through in-person or online, and help planning for the future. Many other organizations support girls and women through education by creating schools, sending help, giving scholarships, providing materials for learning, and many other things. Many of these places accept donations. By donating to an organization that helps girls get schooling, you could change someone’s life. 

There are many struggles on the road to equal education. Girls are out of school because of pregnancies, poverty, social norms, and many other reasons. Covid-19 has also had a huge impact on girls' education. However, many organizations are trying to support girls who want to, or do, go to school. If there are huge benefits to girls getting equal education, why are we still not equal?