LESSON PLANS - ITVS

HALF THE SKY: EDUCATION FOR ALLStudent Handout B:The Education Ripple EffectGroup Names:Class:Read and discuss the following statement and work as a group to answer the discussion questions:Access to education is recognized as a basic human right as well as a significant factor in breaking the cycle of poverty and improvingquality of life for children, communities, and countries. Despite this, millions of girls and women around the world are denied the opportunityto attend school and pursue education and training outside the home.Of the approximately 75 million children who are currently not in school, the majority are girls. Worldwide, for every 100 boys out ofschool, there are approximately 122 girls who are unable to attend school. In developing countries and countries with strict cultural andreligious codes regarding gender roles, this gap is much wider: for every 100 boys out of school in Yemen, there are 270 girls who are notin school, in Iraq it is 316 girls, and in India it is 426 girls out of school for every 100 boys out of school.Discussion Questions:• How do you feel about this information? Did it surprise you? If so, what surprisedyou most?• Why do you think girls are less likely than boys to have access to education? What factorsmight influence girls’ access to education?• In some communities the majority of girls in a village or town may be uneducated.What impact do you think this might have on the community?• In nations where girls are four times less likely to get an education, how do you think thecountry might be affected?