OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Education is one of the fundamental rights of a human being. As a citizen of a

democratic country like Bangladesh, everybody has the right to have the same opportunity in

receiving education. But we all know that the students of rural areas do not get the same

opportunity as the students of urban areas get. The rural areas of Bangladesh like Koyra

Upazila in Khulna District which is in the southern part of the country are not so much

developed. There are not sufficient schools in proportionate to the population of this area.

The literacy rate is very low here because the students have to face so many barriers in

education. Social and cultural beliefs of the inhabitants and the economic condition of the

people are the main reasons behind the lower literacy rate. The students have to face a

number of barriers in the field of education. Among them socio-economic and cultural

barriers mainly impact on education. They grow up here and are habituated with their

surroundings. They do not get proper advice so they cannot have a firm faith to be highly

educated. As a result, the students cannot gather motivation and lots of students drop out

every year at a very early age and thus the literacy rate is not increasing.

1.1 Background of the Study

I was born in Koyra Upazila. I passed my childhood there till 2010. After passing my

SSC examination from there, at the age of 16, I came to Khulna for my study. When I was

there, I could not realize the barriers that I faced in education. After staying about one year in

Khulna, I very often used to think about my birthplace and tried to compare between a rural

student and an urban student as I experienced both the situations. I could realize why the

literacy rate of this area was very low. From then I cherished a desire to work on this issue. In

2014, I got admitted to English Discipline and came to know that we had to complete a
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 2

project at the end of the four-year course. At that time, I was thrilled thinking my desire

would fulfill here. Now, in 4th year 2nd term, when I was asked to submit a proposal for my

project, I selected the topic. It was a dream fulfilling moment as I would be able to find out

the barriers that the rural students face in education but cannot identify that these are actually

barriers in their education and hence they cannot go a long way. I think this project will play

a significant role to increase the literacy rate in this area.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Koyra Upazila, in Khulna District, is in the southern part of Bangladesh. Most of the

people are farmers as it is mainly an agriculture-based region. Some inhabitants are fishermen

and go to the Sundarbans and the nearby rivers to catch fishes. There are also day labourers

and they live from hand to mouth working in other people’s house who are comparatively

affluent. Some people go to the bricks factory in different areas in the country and work there

for months. Majority of the people are poor. They cannot earn their livelihood properly and

sometimes they have to starve. They cannot spend for their food let alone the children’s

educational expenses. There is hardly any expense in primary education. But when the

children need much money from the secondary level, the parents cannot provide the financial

support and the students have to drop out. So, poverty is the main barrier here in education.

Apart from this, superstition, lack of interest in education, unwillingness of the parents as

well as the students, demotivation from others, child labour and early marriage are found.

The aged people are illiterate and instead of encouraging the students, they do the opposite.

Some parents are very much eager to marry their daughters off at an early age. The girls lose

their interest to study after their marriage. The parents compel their sons to earn money at a

very early age. The children face these issues from their childhood and thus they get mentally

demotivated. For these kinds of socio-cultural and economic barriers, the students cannot go

a long way in education.

OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 3

1.3 Research Questions

 What are the socio-economic barriers in education for the rural students?

 What are the cultural barriers in education in the rural areas?

 How can these barriers be overcome?

1.4 Objectives of the Study

1.4.1 General Objective

 To find out the existing socio-economic and cultural barriers in education in the

rural areas like Koyra Upazila.

1.4.2 Specific Objective

The specific objectives of this research are-

 to help the students realize about the barriers that they cannot identify

 to encourage the students to overcome the barriers

 to draw the attention of the government and non-government organizations

 to give suggestions of overcoming the barriers

1.5 Literature Review

The area of Koyra Upazila is 1775.41 square kilometers and the total population of this

Upazilla are 1,92,534 (Malek, 2015, p. 21). It is the second largest Upazila of Bangladesh.

Malek has also given some statistical data about the literacy rate and the professions of the

inhabitants. The average literacy rate is 32.4%, that is comparatively lower than most of the

areas of Bangladesh. Here, the respective literacy rate of male and female is 43.6% and

21.4%. The females are more neglected than the males. The main sources of income of the

inhabitants are: agriculture 66.64%, non-agricultural labourer 7.12%, industry 0.51%,

commerce 12.66%, transport and communication 1.85%, service 3.54%, construction 1.31%,

religious service 0.31%, rent and remittance 0.09% and others 5.97% (p. 45). From the
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 4

information it is seen that the majority of the people are poor and this poverty may impact on

education.

Verngren (2016) suggests that “social and cultural barriers are additional obstacles which

severely limit access to education for vulnerable children. Such barriers entail poverty and

inequalities in age, gender, class, ethnicity, orphan-status and geographical location” (p. 35).

According to him, some social factors limit the children’s access to education such as poverty

and high risk populations, culture and gender, ethnicity, family and health. Culture plays a

vital role in the access to education. For the socio-cultural barriers children dropout at an

early age.

Watkins (2000) has identified several barriers that keep away the children from going to

school. He has found poverty as the most influential barrier in children’s education. He finds

poverty existing in both national level and household level. According to Watkins (2000),

At a national level, low average incomes limit the financing capacity of

governments, and their ability to provide their citizens with access to good-

quality education. At the household level, poverty means that parents may be

unable to afford the costs of sending their children to school, or unable to

dispense with the labour provided by their children. It may also reinforce

gender-based inequalities within the household. (p. 171).

Not only poverty but also some other factors operate here. Watkins quotes, “Inability to pay

is a common factor. The quality and perceived relevance of the education provided are also

important, as are factors such as distance from school, child security, and social and cultural

attitudes” (p. 172). The residence of the students being distant from the school affects the

girls’ education as he states “In most societies, distance from school is inversely related to the

prospects of girls going to school, especially after puberty” (p. 193).

OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 5

Noorani (2002) researches on girls’ education and categorizes the barriers into three

major areas: Household/Community level barriers that include direct cost of schooling and

indirect cost of schooling, attitudes and practices, and situations of crisis and instability;

School Level Barriers that include no school close to home, poor quality environment, poor

quality contents, and conflict and instability; and Policy- and System-Level Barriers that

include inadequate legal framework, lack of enforcement of existing laws and policies,

insufficient national budgetary allocations to primary and secondary education, isolation of

education from existing national frameworks, outdated curriculum, lack of completion and

transition to next stage of education and lack of political will.

Qureshi (2004) illustrates that there are many barriers related with girls’ education. She

states,

Both demand and supply factors act as barriers to the girl ’s education. On the

demand side, poverty, parent’s education, gender discrimination and distance

from school are the major barriers for enrolment, attendance and retention in

schools. On the supply side, shortage of girls’ schools, shortage or absence of

female teachers, and poor quality of teaching are major obstacles to girl’s

education. (p. 51).

These factors limit the access of girls to education sector and contribute to the lower literacy

rate of girls. Other factors are related with security issues for the girls like poor roads, limited

transportation, unsafe travelling and restricted movement of girls to education sector.

A recent study (Lambert, Perrino, Barreras, 2012) identifies some major barriers in

female education such as “poverty, the most overriding widespread obstacle to higher female

education in Ghana” (p. 6), “harassment and discrimination, both from male peers and from

teachers, is a problem for female students. Discrimination from teachers is common in the
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 6

classroom” (p. 9). Cultural mindset is also a great problem for the female students as they

write,

The most complex and important factor to look at when studying female

education is the cultural mindset surrounding female education. Men have a

sense of entitlement and superiority, while many women lack self-esteem or

believe that they can accomplish much. Nowhere does this mentality come out

more strongly than in the educational system” (p. 12).

They conclude that poverty, harassment, and a cultural mindset against female education are

the largest problems faced by the female students. Transportation problem, proper sanitation,

teenage pregnancy, and early marriage are also some other minor problems. (pp. 14-15).

Justino (2014) in his research paper “Barriers to Education in Conflict-Affected

Countries and Policy Opportunities” has distinguished barriers in conflict-affected countries

into two categories: supply-side barriers and demand-side barriers. Destruction of

infrastructure and resources, displacement, and distributional effects are under supply-side

barriers whereas poverty, adverse health shocks, returns to education, recruitment of children,

fear and insecurity fall under the demand-side barriers.

Atayi (2008) has identified teenage pregnancy as a barrier to female education. In

some countries like Uganda, there is early marriage. Because of early marriage girls become

pregnant at a very early age and this contributes much to drop out from the school. He says

“…these pregnant teenagers usually drop out of school either by themselves or the school

forces them to, while others are forced into early marriage. This adds to the vicious cycle of

maternal illiteracy – diminishing the chance of daughters’ schooling” (p. 3).

Kola (2014) focuses on socio-economic and socio-cultural barriers on female

education in Nigeria. He has found poverty as the major socio-economic barrier to female
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 7

education and said that this barrier reduced the number of female students in schools. He

states, “There are some cultural practices that affect female education such as girl initiation,

religion and early marriages” (p. 73). The number of female students is decreasing because of

some socio-economic barriers such as poverty and parental perception and some socio-

cultural barriers such as girl initiation, early marriage and religious view.

Grech (2014) has commented that education is one of the fundamental rights of a human

being but the facilities are not same for the students of rural areas comparing with the

students of urban area. The rural students as well as the disabled students do not get the

proper taste of education because they have to face some specific economic, physical and

social barriers. He identified some economic and social barriers in education such as

‘geographical isolation and no schools in distant areas’, ‘poor infrastructure’, ‘extreme

weather conditions and transportation problems’, ‘lack of running water, sanitation and

electricity’, ‘overcrowded schools and poor quality education’, ‘the need for the labour of

children at key stages of the agriculture cycle’, ‘costs of schooling’, ‘language and cultural

barriers’, ‘few or no concessions by employers’ (pp. 8-11). He also identified some disability-

specific barriers to education such as ‘long periods of hospitalization’, ‘invisibility of

disabled people from public spaces’, ‘direct and indirect costs’, ‘architectural and training

barriers- non-inclusive schools’, ‘problematic attitudes’, ‘protection by parents’, ‘unavailable

or erratically available accompanying family members’, ‘public transport barriers and costs’

and ‘inadequate medicalization, pain and lack or absence of adapted assistive devices’ (pp.

11-14).
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 8

1.6 Theoretical Framework

This project is done based on the “Sociocultural Theory” by Lev Semenovich Vygotsky.

Sociocultural theory is basically a psychological theory that focuses on the important aspects

that the society or culture impacts on individual development. The culture in which they live

is the controller of the developing individuals. This theory emphasizes on the fact that human

learning is largely a social process. The society in which the learners live sets the limit of his

or her individual development. Not only the society but also parents, caregivers, companions,

and the culture are responsible for developing their individual self.

Sociocultural theory focuses not only on how the elder people and friends influence

individual learning but also on how cultural beliefs and attitudes impact on their learning

behavior. Vygotsky (1978) says,

Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the

social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between people

(interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). This

applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to the formation

of concepts. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between

individuals. (p. 57).

So, I have found that learners’ mentality develops according to their surroundings. The social

and cultural setting which they have been observing from their childhood obviously impacts

on their individual development. The rural students have been habituated with the situation of

their surroundings. So, later when they appear on the same situation they do the same thing.

Thus the same scenario continues. This theory is applied to this project because the students

are growing up in the same culture as their elders. They see their behavior and attitude and

thus their mentality about education grows according to the culture.

OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 9

1.7 Rationale of the Study

Proper education helps a man to observe the social system deeply. It is the students who

become the observers of the society. But most of the rural students cannot achieve this

position because they cannot overcome all the related barriers in education and they cannot

be highly educated persons. The students will have to overcome the barriers at first. For this,

they will have to be encouraged and motivated as well as they will have to be given economic

support to help them overcome the barriers. This research paper will help the students know

about the barriers and will get motivation. The teachers can be more careful to the students

and the parents of the students can be more aware of their children. If these happen, the

society and the country will be benefitted.

1.8 Timeline

The time frame of my research work is given below:

Serial Week Task

1. First Reading for basic information

2. Second Meeting with supervisor and making an outline

3. Third Reading for data collection

4. Fourth Continuing reading for data collection

5. Fifth Analyzing data

6. Sixth Meeting with supervisor for further discussion

7. Seventh Rearranging data

8. Eighth Writing draft

9. Ninth Meeting with supervisor and correcting mistakes

10. Tenth Rewriting the draft after correcting the mistakes

OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 10

11. Eleventh Rereading the project paper for further development

12. Twelfth Meeting with supervisor for final correction and approval

of the project

13. Thirteenth Final submission

1.9 Scope and Limitations

There are obviously some limitations in my research. Since it is a part of our syllabus, it

is not possible to do a perfect research as it has to be done with other academic activities and

examinations within a limited time. As I have to finish this research along with other courses,

there is time limitation. Survey based research needs more time, labour and money. If I could

get enough time, I would collect more information and that would be a valid generalization to

the population. Money is essential to conduct a survey. It could have been helpful if I had

received some financial support from the university.

Moreover, as my research mainly depends on survey, sometimes it is very difficult to

with the respondents. I have found many respondents reluctant to provide answers of the

questionnaire. If I could overcome these limitations, I could do a better research on this field.

The scope of this research field is vast but the limitations have shrunk the scope of this

research paper.

If any researcher intends to do MPhil or PhD research under this field, it will be a very

convenient field for him/her.

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CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

This research is an exploratory research. The purpose of this research is to explore the

socio-economic and cultural barriers in education at secondary level in Koyra Upazila and to

give suggestions to overcome those barriers. I have mainly depended on primary data.

2.1 Selection of the Study Area

For the purpose of this research I have selected four secondary schools from Koyra

Upazila. All the schools are non-government school.

2.2 Population (Respondents) of the Study

The population of this research are the students of these schools.

2.3 Sampling Techniques

It is quite impossible to collect data within a very short time from all the students of

the schools of Koyra Upazila. Considering the available time and to obtain accurate data, I

have used random sampling.

2.4 Determination of Sample Size

In this research I have selected 100 samples randomly. Sample comprises 50 boys and

50 girls. I have selected 25 students from each school.

2.5 Data Collection

The main instrument used to obtain data is a written questionnaire supplied to the

students. The questionnaire includes close ended questions considering the proficiency level

of the students. I have designed the questionnaire to extract real barriers that the students are
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 12

facing unconsciously. For the purpose of my research, I have also talked to the students and

have taken necessary notes so that my objective of the research fulfills.

2.6 Sources of Data

Both primary and secondary sources of data have been used for the sake of this research.

2.6.1 Primary Data Collection

This research is mainly based on primary data. Here, primary data have been collected

through questionnaire. Data are collected from 4 secondary schools of Koyra Upazila:

Dakshin Bedkashi Secondary School, Dakshin Bedkashi Secondary Girls’ School,

Kapotaksho Secondary School and Shakbariya High School. The data collection process has

been done on March, 2018.

2.6.2 Secondary Data Collection

For secondary data, I have taken help from many books, reports, articles, newspapers,

journals and other research papers related to educational barriers for the relevant information

of the research.

2.7 Questionnaire Preparation

A clear and structured questionnaire has been prepared considering the social system

and the economic condition of the population of Koyra Upazila.

2.8 Data Processing

After collecting all the required data, the following two steps have been taken to

extract the findings of the study:

i. Data compilation

ii. Data editing

OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 13

2.8.1 Data Compilation

The collected data have been grouped, categorized and finally compiled systematically

according to the objective of the research.

2.8.2 Data Editing

The collected data have been edited to eliminate the possible errors and omissions.

Collected data have also been coded and classified carefully for better analysis.

2.9 Data Analysis and Interpretation

After processing collected data and information I have organized, explained,

interpreted and analyzed with the help of different planning and statistical tools and

techniques. I have computerized the data using Microsoft Word and Excel. The data have

been analyzed according to the objective of the research. The analysis is presented through

various tables and charts.

OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 14

CHAPTER 3

DISCUSSION

3.1 Information of the Students of Secondary Level at Koyra Upazila

Here, I have discussed the information that has been collected through questionnaire

from the students from various schools. The total 100 respondents are from four schools.

Question 1: Do you have any private tutor?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 3 4 7%

No 47 46 93%

Table 1: Information about the students’ having private tutor

7% students, 3 boys and 4 girls, have said that they have private tutors. On the other

hand, 93% students, among whom 47 respondents are boys and 46 are girls, have said that

they do not have any private tutor. This information is presented through pie chart.

Figure 1: Information about the students’ having private tutor

7% Yes
No

93%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 15

Question 2: Do you face financial problem while buying your books or any other

educational materials?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 43 25 68%

No 7 25 32%

Table 2: Information about the students’ facing financial problem in buying educational

materials

68% students, 43 boys and 25 girls, said that they face financial problem while they

buy various educational materials and 32% students, 7 boys and 25 girls, said that they do not

face such kind of problem. This information is presented through pie chart.

Figure 2: Information about the students’ facing financial

problem in buying educational materials
Yes

No
32%

68%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 16

Question 3: Do your parents face difficulty in maintaining your (including your siblings)

educational expenses?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 44 25 69%

No 6 25 31%

Table 3: Information about the difficulty faced by the students’ parents

69% students among whom 44 respondents are boys and 25 respondents are girls said

that their parents face difficulty in maintaining their (including their siblings) educational

expenses and 31% students, 6 boys and 25 girls, said that their parents do not face this kind of

difficulty. The total result is presented through pie chart.

Figure 3: Information about the difficulty faced by the students’

parents
Yes
No

31%

69%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 17

Question 4: Have you ever heard “Nothing will happen being educated because at present

getting a job is not too easy” from anyone?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 38 40 78%

No 12 10 22%

Table 4: Information about the demotivation from other people

38 boys and 40 girls who constitute 78% respondents have said that they have heard

this kind of demotivational speech from other people and 22% students, 12 boys and 10 girls,

have said that they have not heard such speech from others yet. This information is presented

through pie chart.

Figure 4: Information about the demotivation from other people

Yes
22%
No

78%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 18

Question 5: “You should not go for higher education as you have to work finally in your

husband’s house.” Do the illiterate people say this to the girls?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 48 47 95%

No 2 3 5%

Table 5: Information about the superstition among the illiterate people

95% students among whom 48 respondents are boys and 47 respondents are girls have

said that they have heard saying this kind of superstitious speech from other illiterate people

and 5% students, 2 boys and 3 girls have said that they have not heard such speech from

others. This information is presented through pie chart.

Figure 5:Information about the superstition among the illiterate

people
Yes
No
5%

95%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 19

Question 6: Have your parents ever told you to earn money?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 23 1 24%

No 27 49 76%

Table 6: Information about the parents’ unwillingness

24% students, 23 boys and 1 girl, have agreed that their parents have told them to earn

money and 76% students, 27 boys and 49 girls, have responded saying that their parents have

not told them to earn money. The final response is presented through pie chart.

Figure 6:Information about the parents' unwillingness

Yes

24% No

76%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 20

Question 7: Have you attended on any motivational program on education such as

seminar or any other special class?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 25 15 40%

No 25 35 60%

Table 7: Information about the students’ engagement in motivational classes on

education

40% students, 25 boys and 15 girls, have responded that they have attended on such

classes or programs and 60% students among whom 25 are boys and the rest 35 are girls have

told that they have not attended. This information is presented through pie chart.

Figure 7: Information about the students’ engagement in

motivational classes on education

Yes
No
40%

60%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 21

Question 8: Do your non-school friends tell you not to go to school and to play with them?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 32 0 32%

No 18 50 68%

Table 8: Information about the bad impact of the students’ company

32% students, all are boys, have agreed that their non-school friends tell them not to

go to school and to play with them. On the contrary, 68% students, 18 boys and 50 girls, have

told that they are free from these kind of friends. This information is presented through pie

chart.

Figure 8: Information about the bad impact of the students'

company
Yes

32% No

68%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 22

Question 9: Do you think study is painful than earning money as you can move freely if

you do not come to school?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 13 0 13%

No 37 50 87%

Table 9: Information of the students’ willingness about receiving higher education

13% students that is 13 boys have answered that study is painful than earning money

and the rest 87% students among whom 37 are boys and 50 respondents are girls have chosen

that study is better. The following pie chart shows this information.

Figure 9: Information of the students’ willingness about receiving

higher education
Yes

13% No

87%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 23

Question 10: How many high schools is/are there in your union?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Respondents Response Particular Number of Respondents Percentage

Only one 52 52%

Two 28 28%

100 Three 20 20%

More than three 0 0%

Table 10: Information about the number of schools in a union

52% students have told that there is only one high school in their union, 28% students

have responded that there are two high schools in their union and 20% students tell that they

have three high schools in their union but no student tells having more than three high

schools in their union. The following bar chart shows this information.

Figure 10: Information about the number of schools in a union

0%

20%

52%

28%

Only one Two Three More than three

OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 24

Question 11: Are the girls disturbed by the eve-teasers on the way to the school?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 24 26 50%

No 26 24 50%

Table 11: Information about eve-teasing

Among the 100 respondents, 50% students, 24 boys and 26 girls, have told that the

girls are teased on the way to the school and 50% students, 26 boys and 24 girls, have told

that the girls are not disturbed at all by the eve-teasers. This information is presented through

the pie chart.

Figure 11: Information about eve-teasing

Yes
No

50%
50%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 25

Question 12: Do you face transport problem?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 26 27 53%

No 24 23 47%

Table 12: Information about transport problem

53% students, 26 boys and 27 girls, have told that they face transport problem and

47% students among whom 24 respondents are boys and 23 are girls have told that they do

not face this problem. The total result is shown through pie chart below.

Figure 15: Information about the early marriage of the girls

Yes
No

47%

53%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 26

Question 13: How do you come to school?”

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 On foot 46 49 95%

By transport 4 1 5%

Table 13: Information about the way of the students’ coming to the school

95% of the total students of which 46 are boys and 49 are girls have said that they

come to the school on foot and the rest 5% students have told that they come to the school by

transport. This information is presented through the following pie chart.

Figure 13: Information about the way of the students’ coming to the
school

5%

95%

On foot By transport
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 27

Question 14: How much time do you need to arrive at the school?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Respondents Response Particular Number of Respondents Percentage

Less than 10 minutes 13 13%

11-20 minutes 15 15%

100 21-30 minutes 10 10%

More than30 minutes 62 62%

Table 14: Information about time consuming of the students to arrive at the school

13% of the total respondents have told that they need less than 10 minutes, 15%

students tell that they need 11-20 minutes, 10% students tell that they need 21-30 minutes and

the rest 62% students have told that they need more than 30 minutes to arrive at the school.

This information is presented through the following bar chart.

Figure 14: Information about time consuming of the students to arrive

at the school

13%

15%

62% 10%

Less than 10 minutes 11-19 minutes 20-29 minutes More than30 minutes
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 28

Question 15: Have you seen girls in your locality being married off before going to

college?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 47 46 93%

No 3 4 7%

Table 15: Information about the early marriage of the girls

93% students, 47 boys and 46 girls, have seen at least one girl being married off at an

early age and 7% students, 3 boys and 4 girls, have told that they have not seen such an

incident in their locality. This information is presented through pie chart.

Figure 15: Information about the early marriage of the girls

7% Yes
No

93%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 29

Question 16: Have you got any marriage proposal yet?

The information taken from the students is presented in the following table.

Total Response Particular Number of Particular Number of Combined

Respondents Respondents (Boys) Respondents (Girls) Percentage

100 Yes 2 23 25%

No 48 27 75%

Table 16: Information about the respondents’ early marriage proposal

Among 25% students who have told that they have got marriage proposal, 2

respondents are boys and 23 respondents are girls and the rest 75% students have told that

they have not got yet among which 48 respondents are boys and 27 respondents are girls. The

total result is shown in the following pie chart.

Figure 16: Information about the respondents’ early marriage

proposal
Yes
No
25%

75%
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 30

3.2 Results and Findings

Considering the responses of the students of secondary level students at Koyra

Upazila, some socio-economic and cultural barriers are found that are prevailing in this area.

These barriers are limiting the students’ scope to go to school and receive education and thus

they are contributing to lower literacy rate in this area. The barriers that are found through

questionnaire survey are mentioned here:

1. Poverty is a curse for any society and for a country in a broader sense. Poverty

hindrances all the development activities. It is poverty that limits the students’ access to

education. The people of Koyra Upazila are living under poverty line. The parents cannot

manage a tutor for their children who can instruct and motivate them so that they can study

instead of dropping out. The parents even cannot buy educational materials in time because

of this poverty and sometimes it happens that they cannot manage all the children’s

educational expenses and for that some of them have to drop out and the parents tell them to

earn money to manage the family. Thus the children are engaged in child labour and do not

go to school.

2. Motivation works magically to the children. If the children are motivated from their

childhood, they can make up their mind accordingly. But the picture of this area is very

alarming. Most of the people of this area illiterate. Instead of motivating the children, they

demotivate them from the beginning. So, the result remains the same. They get demotivation

from the elder people and thus lose their interest in receiving education.

3. In this postmodern era, there is still superstition in this area. The illiterate people

are reluctant to educate the girls. They still think the girls should not be educated because the

literate girls may oppose the husbands’ decisions. They do not want girls opposing their

husbands’ decisions and for that they are reluctant to send the girls for higher education.
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 31

4. The social system makes the parents as well as the students unwilling to receive

education. This unwillingness becomes a great barrier in education. There is a proverb “Where

there is a will there is a way”. If the students do not have the will, it is quite impossible for

anyone to educate them. The parents see other children earning money and they also want their

children to earn. They think completing education and getting a job is a lengthy process and

thus they become unwilling to educate their children.

5. Bad company also impacts on the students’ education. The friends of the school

going children who do not go to school inspire them not to go to school. These friends work as

a barrier in their education.

6. Lack of schools is also another barrier in the education sector. It is true that a student

loses his/her interest if he/she has to walk a long way to arrive at the school. In this area, there

is not sufficient schools in proportionate with the number of students. The distance of the

schools from the students’ residence plays a great role in their education. Because of poverty

there are not enough schools established here.

7. Eve-teasing is also a social barrier here. The girls face this harassment outside the

school. Sometimes they do not go to school because of eve-teasing. Eve-teasing hampers the

girls’ education.

8. Transport problem is a great problem here. This issue also impacts on the children’s

education. There are not enough vehicles available here because of the broken roads. The

students have to walk a long way to go to the school. The number of students would increase

if there were enough transport facilities. Many students leave schools because they do not feel

interested to walk a long way to go for education. So, transport problem is a social barrier in

education.
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 32

9. Early marriage is one of the greatest cultural barriers in education here. Most of the

girls are married off before 18 years old. The dreams of the girls shatter after their marriage.

They cannot oppose because of the social and cultural setting. They grow up in such a society

where their opinion has no value to others. They are like the dolls. They become victims of the

superstition that girls should not be highly educated and they should marry as early as possible

and serve the husband. Their education remains incomplete because of this early marriage.
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 33

CHAPTER 4

RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

4.1 Recommendations

1. Willingness is the main factor in overcoming these barriers. If a student is provided

all the opportunities but the student does not have the will to study, everything will be

valueless. So, willingness is the major factor to overcome the barriers.

2. The literate people will have to play roles to help the students overcome the barriers.

3. Different government and non-government organizations will have to arrange

motivational programs to motivate the students.

4. The people who believe in superstition will have to be persuaded that their belief is

wrong.

5. The teachers can motivate the students more than others.

6. The successful students will have to be rewarded with alluring gifts so that the other

students become interested more.

7. Incentive scholarship from government and non-government organizations can

increase the interests of the students in education.

8. The roads of this area will have to be repaired and widened so that various vehicles

can move easily.

9. Basic educational materials should be supplied free from the school in this area. This

will diminish the financial pressure of the parents.

10. The school teachers may call for a monthly meeting of the guardians of the students to

motivate them and advise to take care of their children.

11. Social welfare organizations can donate transport to the school for the students.

12. The parents will have to be awakened about the bad effect of early marriage.
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 34

13. The law about early marriage and eve-teasing should be strict.

14. If it is possible to establish few schools, it will surely boost the students’ interest to go

to nearby school.

15. The local wealthy people can play a major role in developing the facilities of the

schools.

16. Poverty alleviation program should be undertaken by the government.

17. More research on this field can draw the attention of the authority.

18. Child labour should be forbidden so that the parents cannot engage the children in

work instead of sending them to the school.

19. The government can provide financial support to this area and the most important

thing is that the local leaders will have to be free from corruption.

If these recommendations are considered positively, I think the illiteracy rate of Koyra

Upazila will be reduced.

4.2 Conclusion

Economy is the impetus of any region and in a broader sense of any country.

Bangladesh is a developing country but the rural areas of Koyra Upazila are still

underdeveloped. The people are living under poverty line here. They are leading their life

with much hardship. Poverty hindrances all development processes. It is also the main

economic barrier in education also. Where most of the people hardly can lead their life

properly, that they will spend a lot of money for the educational purpose is totally

unthinkable. Many students have to drop out at an early age because of this economic

barrier. Poverty creates other social and cultural barriers also. Because of this poverty

there is lack of schools, there is unwillingness of the parents, there is child labour and

there is early marriage. Apart from these barriers there are also some other social and

cultural barriers that the students face such as superstition, lack of motivation and eve-
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 35

teasing. To overcome these barriers everyone will have to come forward. The students

will have to have the willingness to overcome these barriers and to be educated. To help

the students fulfill their desire, everyone from individual level to national level have to

come forward. The government should try to provide financial support by supplying

educational materials, different government and non-government organizations and the

teachers may play a great role to motivate the students as well the guardians so that they

can be interested in education.

OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 36

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OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 38

Appendix

Appendix- 1: Questionnaire

Background Information of the Respondent:

Name of the Student…………………………………..........................................
Name of the School: …………………………………………………………….
Class: …………………
Gender: Male Female
Please respond to the following question putting tick (√) mark.

1. Do you have any private tutor?

a) Yes b) No
2. Do you face financial difficulty while buying your books or any other educational
materials and paying your school fees?
a) Yes b) No
3. Do your parents face difficulty in maintaining your (including your siblings)
educational expenses?
a) Yes b) No
4. Have you ever heard “Nothing will happen being educated because at present getting a
job is not too easy” from anyone?
a) Yes b) No
5. “You should not go for higher education as you have to work finally in your husband’s
house.” Do the illiterate people say this to the girls?
b) Yes b) No
6. Have your parents ever told you to earn money?
a) Yes b) No
7. Have you attended on any motivational program on education such as seminar or any
other special class?
a) Yes b) No
8. Do your non-school friends tell you not to go to school and to play with them?
a) Yes b) No
OVERCOMING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS 39

9. Do you think study is painful than earning money as you can move freely if you do not
come to school?
a) Yes b) No
10. How many high schools is/are there in your union?
a) Only 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) More than 3
11. Are the girls disturbed by the eve-teasers on the way to the school?
a) Yes b) No
12. Do you face transport problem?
a) Yes b) No
13. How do you come to school?
a) on foot b) by transport
14. How much time do you need to arrive at the school?
a) Less than 10 minutes b) 11-19 minutes c) 20-29 minutes d) More than 30 minutes
15. Have you seen girls in your locality being married off before going to college?
a) Yes b) No
16. Have you got any marriage proposal yet?
a) Yes b) No

Thanks for your cordial response. Respondent’s Signature………………………