IN high-income countries, as many as 95 percent girls as boys attend primary and secondary schools.
In sub-Saharan Africa, the figure is 60 percent.
In Africa, girls are the first to be denied schooling.
Statistics confirm that the girl-child number over half of an estimated 101 million children out of school.
According to UNESCO’s Regional Overview on sub-Saharan Africa in the new Millennium, out of more than 42 million school-going children in Africa, almost half received no tuition; two-thirds of these were girls.
Furthermore, children attending schools in rural areas usually attained poorer results in standardised examinations compared to their urban counterparts, which again affect the girl-child.
Many reasons are proffered why formal education for African females is unavailable to so many girls, including cultural reasons.
Females are considered a source of income through marriage; families are more likely to educate their sons to increase their earning potential.
Also, there is a belief that a female’s education would get in the way of her duties as a wife and a mother.
In countries where enrollments are low and resources as well as school facilities are lacking, families often must choose between sending a girl-child or a boy-child to school. 
Expectations, attitudes and a gender bias in communities and families, economic costs, social traditions as well as religious and cultural beliefs limit girls’ educational opportunities.
However, lack of education for females correlates with health risks, including adolescent pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, poor health and poverty
In most former colonies such as Zimbabwe, due to the colonial regime’s dogmatic authority of education, parents felt they had no say over their children’s education and future.
Parents generally felt they lacked any authority regarding their children’s education.
While often gender-biased decisions regarding sending girls to school is based on gender roles dictated by culture or ignorance, there is no doubt, however, this is also because before independence colonial education in Zimbabwe skirted the needs and aspirations of the African girl-child and women by denying them career choices that would have been boundless and progressive for the nation today.
The education system inherited in Zimbabwe from the colonial powers was designed mainly for the male-dominated formal sector and public administration.
In Zimbabwe, education is accepted as a fundamental right.
In 2009, figures showed that 85 percent females compared to 80 percent males finished primary school, and 48,8 percent females compared to 62 percent males achieved secondary or higher education in Zimbabwe in 2010. Although gender disparities are less predominant in primary as they are in secondary education some gender disparities in high school and tertiary education still exist.
Studies in the early 2000s in Zimbabwe show that only 42 percent female teachers in secondary schools throughout the country, from which only 15 percent headed secondary schools.
Figures at primary school level were even more disproportionate.
This is further reflected in instructional materials where there is an imbalanced disparity between male and female writers.
Most textbooks are mainly male-authored; resulting in male-centred theories and philosophies and in many instances even irrelevant Euro-centric notions being quoted, which are not in sync with the needs and aspirations of our nation.
Gender stereotyping is prevalent in textbooks where males are used to describe scientific or technical fields, leadership positions and jobs rather than females. Studies also found that English language textbooks are written from male perspectives and leave out important female perspectives.
Such precedence goes against traditional modes of education which emphasise the role of women as the genesis for education in African societies, more so in Zimbabwe.
Gender disparity is defined as inequalities of some quantity attributed to the rationale of gender type. 
Although affirmative action policies were introduced to increase female enrolment in tertiary education in Zimbabwe following the recommendations of the 1999 Nziramasanga Commission of Inquiry in Education, it still needs to be fully realised by introducing a gender-responsive pedagogy in teacher education colleges.
The introduction of maths and science camps for the girl-child by the Forum for African Women Educationalists sought to increase the participation of the girl-child and women in scientific disciplines and increase women’s participation in education and was aimed at addressing gender stereotypes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), areas in order to compliment the industrial development of the nation.
Apart from increased participation of women in education, Zimbabwe also urgently needs enhanced capitalisation for the girl-child in the education sector.
There are Affirmative Action Policies (AAP) in some parts of southern Africa at institutions of higher learning aimed at boosting female enrolment and participation in the technological national development.
In some regional high schools, girls are enrolled in science subjects with two points or lower, compared to boys.
Perhaps it is time to adopt such policies in Zimbabwe.
The Millennium Development Goals were deadlined for 2015; the gender parity target was set to be achieved a full 10 years earlier – an acknowledgement that equal access to education is the foundation for all other developmental goals. 
In Zimbabwe where statistics show that girls outnumber boys, are we consciously supporting the education of the girl-child?
The aim to eliminate gender disparity in education for the girl-child, thus empowering women, is perhaps the most vital goal for national development. 
Sadly, according to UNESCO, the rate of females out of primary school is higher than that of males in most African countries. 
Until equal numbers of girls and boys are in school, it will be impossible to build up the necessary knowledge for the eradication of poverty and hunger, combat disease and ensure environmental sustainability. 
Educating the girl-child results in educated women who tend to have fewer and healthier children themselves, and whose children are more likely to attend school. 
Women currently earn only one tenth of the world’s income and own less than one percent of property.
Households that are not male-headed are at greater risk of penury and hardship. 
These women will also be less likely to immunise their children and know how to help them survive. 
Higher female education makes women better-informed mothers, resulting in lower child mortality rates and less malnutrition. 
In Africa, limited education and employment opportunities for women reduce annual per capita growth by 0,8 percent.
Had this growth taken place, Africa’s economies, and Zimbabwe’s in particular, could have doubled over the past three decades.
In theory therefore, there is a direct effect from female education to income (or growth). 
Education, especially for the girl-child, has social and economic benefits for society as a whole.
A template for the elimination of discrimination against the girl-child in education was adopted in 1979 during The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), by the UN General Assembly and ratified by 180 independent states.
Today, there is a resurgence of a vibrant Zimbabwe and equally competitive Africa, rich in its cultural diversity, history, languages and arts, standing united to end its gender and race marginalisation in world progress and development.
Women are pertinent for a prosperous Zimbabwe where the knowledge and the skills of its people are its first and most important resource and asset.
Dr Tony Monda holds a PhD. in art theory and philosophy and a DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) and post-Colonial Heritage Studies. He is a writer, lecturer, musician, art critic, practising artist and corporate image consultant. He is also a specialist art consultant, post-colonial scholar, Zimbabwean socio-economic analyst and researcher. For views and comments, email: tonym.monda@gmail.com