Education of girls in Punjab

THE report on the progress of education in Punjab for 1923-24 gives some interesting details regarding the education of girls. The total number of girls in all types of institutions was 96,000, an increase of 2,200 over the figure of the previous year. This shows that at present, one in a hundred of the female population of the province is literate. The education of girls is thus progressing less satisfactorily than that of boys. It is said that owing to the prevalence of plague, a large number of girls’ schools had to be closed and this had an unfavourable effect on their education. The total number of girls’ schools decreased from 1,153 to 1,129 during the year. The education department is trying to open a primary school for girls in every large village and it is hoped that very soon the number of girls’ schools will increase, at least as rapidly as that of boys’ schools. In Lahore and Amritsar districts, over 5,000 girls are attending schools. Sialkot comes next, while Jullundur, Ferozpore and Jhang have each over 3,000 girls in schools. Of the total number of girls, 126 were at college and 2,448 in high schools. There were two colleges and three high schools maintained by the government, while two colleges and 13 high schools were receiving grant-in-aid from the government. In the intermediate category in arts, 12 passed out of 15 and 19 out of 29 obtained diploma in teaching. Fifty-seven passed the matriculation examination. Kinnaird College, Lahore, which has been in existence for 11 years, takes the first place in giving higher education to women.