Some conclusions on the girl’s school

 This is part 2 of a 2 part blog.  You will want to read the above post “A story about a girl’s school” before continuing on this one.

The true story I have told you about this girl’s school does not mean that all schools in this country are like this.  Many schools are nothing more than useless building.  In development, too often buildings are put first, as an assumption that it will encourage people to take responsibility to fill in the rest of the program.

However…

The girl’s school does mean:

• ·      Some communities do value education, and will make sacrifices to establish the human infrastructure for educating their kids.  This community leveled an ancient graveyard and used it for a school, because the land was too old to be claimed as private land, so it was equal access for all.
• ·      Communities that value education have amazing potential, but sometimes fall short on the resources to finish their dream of education for the next generation, and they need donor support for buildings.
• ·      Donors pay for buildings, but the people make the schools.  The donor’s name was on the plaque outside, but little touches like the school bell indicated that this truly was the community’s school.
• ·      When the above happens, everyone wins: donor, engineer, headmaster, community, and most importantly: students.

The girl’s school does not mean:

• ·      Does not mean that all the buildings built and called “schools” will turn out this way.  Too many building projects are donor driven, and do not pick up the warning signs that the community is not ready to send their kids, let alone take care of the building.
• ·      Does not mean that everything in this school is perfect.  The 10^th grade class was all uniformly dressed in black uniforms and white headscarves, but the 1^st graders were a mix of uniforms and village clothes.  This indicates that in this school as well, classism thrives, and the families that cannot afford to buy uniforms for their daughters are probably pulling their daughters out because of teasing, or because the girl’s have chores at home.
• ·      Does not mean that the future is bright for these girls.  Unless dramatic and unlikely changes happen, these girls will still be expected to marry in their teen years, and then assume a suppressed domestic role.  Some of these girls will marry men a generation older than them, a generation that has no respect for educated girls, and does it’s best to beat the empowerment back out of them.  
• ·      Does not mean that there are jobs for these girls.  Other than a few nurses, a few teachers, and a few NGO jobs, no woman works outside the home here.  Who sells women’s clothes?  Men.  Even underwear?  Yep, men.
• ·      Does not mean that we will ever see the creativity or artwork of these girls again.  From the time they are married, these women will have too many chores and children to take time for art.  Even if they did, how would women, who cannot even go to the doctor without a man coming to speak for her, be able to show her heart and skills to the outside world?

But the girl’s school does mean that good change is possible, despite all the forces that work against it.  The status quo here says some horrible, horrible things about the female race, but some are willing to challenge it, and some girls themselves find enough freedom to dare to learn, express themselves, and be women created in the image of God.  I am glad that this special school does not have wide press or special documentaries about it.  A school like this needs it’s own privacy, and some decades of security, and it will produce a new generation of mothers that can gently but definitely influence this place.