The country has made some significant improvements when it comes to school enrolment, with many parents sending their children to schools. But when it comes to daughters and sons, some sort of discrimination is still rife, with parents more often sending their sons to “better schools”, or private schools for that matter, while girls go to public schools.

According to a report, number of girls going to private schools is significantly low.

Though the Department of Education statistics show that the share of girls in school education is 51 percent—meaning girls’ enrolment is proportional to the total population of females in the country—they account for less than 45 percent of the total enrolment in private schools.

Sujata Sharma (name changed) is a case in point.

She goes to Dillibazaar Kanya School, a public school in the Capital. Her brother, however, goes to Anandabhumi School, a private school. “Her parents can afford her education in a private school, but they have chosen not to”, said a teacher who did not want to be named. “There are many students in our school, whose brothers go to private schools,” said the teacher. Education experts attribute the trend simply to discriminatory attitude among parents.

“Even well-to-do parents from Kathmandu itself send their daughters to public schools while sons are taught in private schools,” said Mana Prasad Wagle, an education expert who has done a study on the issue. “The situation is even worse in rural areas.”

Vishnu Karki, also an education expert, says “safety concerns” among parents also play a role when parents decide about their children’s studies.

“Boys are sent to the cities for their education, but they want their daughters to be with them,” said Karki, hoping that the scenario would gradually change with increase in awareness level among parents.

When it comes to girl students, private schools have around 16.5 percent share in secondary schooling, while it is reaches over 18 percent in primary schooling.