Girls' education and the international community : the case of Education for All (EFA) and India

Abstract

This thesis looks at issues in girls' education and development both generally and specifically within India. These issues are examined in light of recent international focus on girls' elementary education, specifically the Education for All (EFA) framework. The research question being addressed is: what is the potential of India's national strategy to achieve gender related EFA goals? The issues examined in this thesis include ideological perspectives on education and development and international involvement in education as well as the identified outcomes of and barriers to girls' education. The second part of this thesis involves a more in depth look at international frameworks for education, with particular attention to the Education for All framework and its influence on policy and centrally sponsored educational programs within India. This thesis concludes with an attempt to provide an assessment of India's National Strategy to achieve their defined EFA goals.