Commit to increase secondary and senior secondary girls schools in 2019 election manifesto

The Issue

It seems like the popular 'Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao' slogan that we all love to chant doesn’t cover all the young girls that need it. There is a serious shortage of secondary (Class 9 and 10) and senior secondary schools (Class 11 and 12) for girls in India.

Data shows that in 2015-16, for every 100 primary schools (Class 1 to 8) there are only 14 secondary and 6 senior secondary schools.

This shortage of schools ruins the future of lakhs of girls in India. They are forced to dropout and become child brides or teenage mothers, with a host of health problems.

As a self-confident, educated woman who got to go to college, I want to ensure that every girl in India has a school to go to. Sign my petition asking the Congress and the BJP to make this a priority in their 2019 election manifestos.

#MoreSchoolsForGirls

When we’re in a position to help someone less privileged than us, the first instinct for many of us is to ask two questions: If the person has children, and if those children go to school. Because we know that education is important. Especially to break cycles of poverty and disadvantage.

The Right to Education (RTE) Act made it compulsory for children between the age of 6 and 14 to get free education. But after 14 years of age, which is usually class 8 or 9, the dropout rates begin to increase. Especially for girls.

Aside from the lack of senior secondary and secondary schools, girls also dropout because schools don’t have separate toilets for boys and girls and by the age of 14, most of them hit puberty. Another reason for higher dropout rates of girls is safety. All of these issues can be addressed by more schools for girls!

Sign my petition to make the political parties contesting in the 2019 General Elections commit in their manifestos to increasing the number of secondary and senior secondary schools for girls in the country.

The RTE Act was a huge step forward in making sure girls got equal educational opportunities to boys. But when girls reach secondary education levels, the dropout rate of girls increases to about 30% and by class 11, it’s around 57%.

The number of schools also reduce sharply beyond primary school. In 2015-16, for every 100 schools offering classes 1 to 7, only 14 offered secondary level classes 9 and 10 and - even less -  6 offered senior secondary level classes 11 and 12.

When we understand how important education is, how can we stand by and watch the future women leaders of our country fall by the wayside because of inadequate schools?

Sign my petition and together, we can convince our politicians that this is the time to prioritize the education of girls. In 2019, whoever comes to power, school-age girls must win!

#SheVotes2019
#MoreSchoolsForGirls

avatar of the starter
Aditi RindaniPetition Starter
Victory
This petition made change with 53,265 supporters!

The Issue

It seems like the popular 'Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao' slogan that we all love to chant doesn’t cover all the young girls that need it. There is a serious shortage of secondary (Class 9 and 10) and senior secondary schools (Class 11 and 12) for girls in India.

Data shows that in 2015-16, for every 100 primary schools (Class 1 to 8) there are only 14 secondary and 6 senior secondary schools.

This shortage of schools ruins the future of lakhs of girls in India. They are forced to dropout and become child brides or teenage mothers, with a host of health problems.

As a self-confident, educated woman who got to go to college, I want to ensure that every girl in India has a school to go to. Sign my petition asking the Congress and the BJP to make this a priority in their 2019 election manifestos.

#MoreSchoolsForGirls

When we’re in a position to help someone less privileged than us, the first instinct for many of us is to ask two questions: If the person has children, and if those children go to school. Because we know that education is important. Especially to break cycles of poverty and disadvantage.

The Right to Education (RTE) Act made it compulsory for children between the age of 6 and 14 to get free education. But after 14 years of age, which is usually class 8 or 9, the dropout rates begin to increase. Especially for girls.

Aside from the lack of senior secondary and secondary schools, girls also dropout because schools don’t have separate toilets for boys and girls and by the age of 14, most of them hit puberty. Another reason for higher dropout rates of girls is safety. All of these issues can be addressed by more schools for girls!

Sign my petition to make the political parties contesting in the 2019 General Elections commit in their manifestos to increasing the number of secondary and senior secondary schools for girls in the country.

The RTE Act was a huge step forward in making sure girls got equal educational opportunities to boys. But when girls reach secondary education levels, the dropout rate of girls increases to about 30% and by class 11, it’s around 57%.

The number of schools also reduce sharply beyond primary school. In 2015-16, for every 100 schools offering classes 1 to 7, only 14 offered secondary level classes 9 and 10 and - even less -  6 offered senior secondary level classes 11 and 12.

When we understand how important education is, how can we stand by and watch the future women leaders of our country fall by the wayside because of inadequate schools?

Sign my petition and together, we can convince our politicians that this is the time to prioritize the education of girls. In 2019, whoever comes to power, school-age girls must win!

#SheVotes2019
#MoreSchoolsForGirls

avatar of the starter
Aditi RindaniPetition Starter

The Decision Makers

Prof M.V. Rajeev Gowda
Chairman AICC Research Dept; National Spokesperson AICC; Ex-MP, Rajya Sabha from Karnataka
Responded
Dear Supporters, We have made note of Aditi Rindani’s petition on change.org, asking for more schools for girls. At the outset, I wish to state that your idea was presented to the manifesto committee and underwent careful consideration. The INC under the leadership of Shri Rahul Gandhi strongly believes that education is a merit good and must be available to all children as a public good. In our manifesto, we have pledged to raise expenditure on education to 6% of the GDP within 5 years. The Congress promises to increase Kendriya Vidyalayas and Nvaodaya Vidyalayas along with setting up schools for children with special needs. The aim is to create make merit-based education, available to all as a public good. This will have a positive impact on increasing access to quality education for girls. You can read the full manifesto on manifesto.inc.in To remain updated on our work, follow us @INCIndia on Twitter. Thank you Prof MV Rajeev Gowda Member of Parliament & Convenor, INC Manifesto Committee
Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Dear Aditi, Thank you for starting this petition asking for more secondary and senior secondary girls’ schools across India. You’re absolutely right. We, as a nation, and a government, understand just how important education is and we can’t stand by and watch the future women leaders of our country fall by the wayside because of a lack of schools. In the past, I have stood up for the rights of children, especially girls. I have taken note of this petition and the support it has from over 50,000 people. I commit to working towards making this a part of the BJP’s agenda if we receive our mandate in the 2019 elections. Once again, thank you for this petition and reaching out to me to let me know the issues that are important to you. I agree that this needs to be considered and I will forward this to the manifesto committee of the BJP. I look forward to working together to build a better future for our country. Thank you, Rajeev Chandrasekhar Member of Parliament
Atishi
MLA, Kalkaji Constituency, Delhi. Member, PAC, Aam Aadmi Party
Responded
Dear Aditi, I would like to thank you and 53000 supporters of this petition for participating with my East Delhi Dialogues and sending me a petition on Change.org. I have always felt very strongly about education and its ability to spark societal change. Both girls and boys have suffered at the hands of governments that have neglected our public school infrastructure. Undoubtedly, girls have to clear far more obstacles on their course to being educated than do boys. It might be of interest to you to know that there are more girls in Delhi government schools than boys, making girls the biggest beneficiaries of our reforms. But this figure may not be the same for other states. I hope your petition reaches other state governments as well, and we see a more definitive push towards expanding capacity across the country. Further, we have committed in our East Delhi Manifesto, that there will be a special focus on women’s education institutions, especially in technical fields to improve women’s involvement in the STEM fields. We will continue to fight for Delhi’s statehood and in a full state, more land will be allotted for school education, to construct new government schools and to improve infrastructure facilities in all the existing schools. Delhi’s education revolution in schools will not face any roadblocks. I believe that true representation of peoples’ concerns and strong political will can play a big role in improvement and development of a constituency. I am committed to provide East Delhi residents concrete solutions to the challenges they faces today. Warm regards, Atishi
Supriya Sule
MP, Nationalist Congress Party
Amit Shah
Amit Shah
Petition updates