Interventions that reduce the costs to households of girls schooling can not only improve girls enrollment and

retention in schools, but also can have strong potentials in reducing gender gaps in multiple dimensions explain in light of Female Stipend Programme in Bangladesh.

The Female Secondary School Stipend Programme (FSP) in Bangladesh was established in 1982 to increase the enrollment of girls in secondary schools, thereby delaying marriage and childbearing. The 1991 census indicated that only 20% of women were literate, with a rate of 14% in rural areas. The enrollment rate in primary schools for girls was 64% in 1990 compared to 74% for boys. The gender disparity was even more in secondary education, in which only 33% of enrolled students and 29% of graduates were girls. The figures for the first decades of the 21st century are vastly different: in the primary sector, gender parity in enrollment has been achieved, and in 2002, the secondary sector enrollment of girls exceeded the enrollment of boys at 53% . A number of policy interventions are credited for this dramatic change, including FSP the Food for Education Programme sponsored by World Food Programme, the rise in non-formal education pushed by NGOs, and the increase in formal sector employment opportunities for women that require secondary education, especially the garment sector. In addition, one of the most accredited drivers of this change is the Female Secondary School Stipend Project (FSP). Launched nationally in 1994 and funded by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and the governments of Norway and Bangladesh, the project pays tuition-fees and provides monthly stipends for unmarried rural girls up to class 10 who attend recognized institutions, remain unmarried, maintain at least 75% attendance, and secure at least 45% marks in the annual examinations (a pass requires 35%). In 2005, nearly 2.3 million girls were enrolled in the programme.

Secondary education, grade 6-12, 1970 and 2002 institution students in 000's teachers year governmentnon-government total boys girls total % of girl men women total % of female 1970 180 6008 6188 1266 266 1532 17.4 52436 4119 56555 7.2 2002 327 17794 18121 3967 4531 8499 53.3 178829 37163 215992 17.2

Most recent figures indicate that girls enrolment primary and secondary is now about equal to that of boys. UNDP (2005) figures show that girls net primary enrolment had risen to nearly 86% by 2002/3 compared to 48% in 1996 (BANBEIS, 1999). It gives the secondary Gross Enrolment Rate as 45% for boys and 47% for girls. If the figures are correct, Bangladesh has succeeded in providing equal access to girls at primary and secondary level. The priorities have remained higher secondary enrolment and retention, indirectly linked to fertility control, delayed marriage, and population reduction. The objectives changed in the 1990s to include income generation/employment, both of which are also linked to delayed marriage and reduced fertility. The underlying assumption was that families would be in less of a hurry to marry off daughters who contributed to the family income. Similarly, the assumption was that women with higher status linked to income possibilities would be more involved in decision-making, which ensure equity and reduce gender gap in decision making family maters. In the 1990s, the focus of the FSP started to shift from fertility control to improving girls chances of engaging in income-generating activities or taking up formal employment, both of which were linked to poverty alleviation. And linked to that, of course, is the assumption that employment could help delay marriage and reduce fertility. The stated paid employment targets include self-employment, primary and secondary school teaching, agricultural extension agents, health and family planning workers, NGO field workers, etc. (World Bank, 1993:10). One FSP project also made provision for skills training to enable girls who left school to acquire some of the skills needed for setting up their own small-scale businesses. There is evidence that young women are now entering the formal employment sector in large numbers. One of the most significant developments in Bangladesh in the last decade or so has been the expansion of the Ready Made Garments industry. This has brought about a revolution of sorts, with large numbers of women leaving home to work in these factories. However, the factories now ask for SSCqualified worker. So Female Stipend Programme (FSP) helps to reduce gender gap in the work force or income generating activity also.
FSP has clearly had impact in terms of increasing girls enrolment in primary and secondary school level which ultimately empower girls. FSP has not only reduced the costs to households of girls but

also reduce gender gap in various fields like education, important family decision making, income generating work force etc.