UNDERSTANDING THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES OF GIRLS IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY IN HOOGHLY DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL

Abstract

-This research paper focuses on understanding the experiences of girls in government schools and the role of government educational schemes in supporting their education. It aims to understand how these schemes help uplift girl's education, to know the challenges they face in pursuing their studies and the role of teachers and parents in their educational process. The research design adopted for this study was qualitative. To gain a deeper understanding of the subject, data were collected from three government schools in Hooghly district. The sources of data collection were case studies, focus group discussion and semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study revealed several significant obstacles to girl's education in government schools. These include poor infrastructure, a shortage of teachers, limited educational opportunities, lack of access to private tuition due to financial constraints and insufficient scholarship support. In some cases, lack of family support and early marriage also affected a girl's educational continuity. This study found that every case study was different. However, a common finding was that the scholarship amount was too low to adequately support a student's educational expenses. Family support and the availability of teachers in government schools were also identified as major factors influencing girl's education. Keywords: Girl's Education, Government schools and schemes, Education challenges, Teachers and family support.