My poem came about as a result of my experience in India, but it is certainly is not limited to there. Gender inequality in education is recognised through the‘Millennium Development Goals’ which were created at the UN Millennium Summit in New York in 2000. Retrospectively, my poem fits into Millennium Development Goal two, namely ‘Achieve universal primary education.’ One of the most startling facts is that in many countries, girls are still given fewer opportunities than boys to complete primary school and enrol in secondary schools. My poem isn't a magic wand that will fix this problem, but I do hope that the part it will play is to at least raise awareness of the issue.
GENDER INEQUALITY IN EDUCATION

School who? School you?
Yes me.
Or are you intimidated by my mentality, sexuality?
My body’s locked up, caged up
But my mind is free.
You can’t stop my dreams or what I believe.
You birthed me but you don’t own me,
You raised me but you can’t hold me.
You fed me, but I’m still hungry.
Teach me, I want to know reality.
Teach me, or are you scared that I may know me,
Know all that I could ever be.
You say you love me, but you won’t school me,
Reinforcing the mentality that my place is in the kitchen.
They say a woman can do two things at once,
So you figure it out or maybe you’re the one that’s dunce.
I’m not saying I don’t want to cook,
I’m not saying I don’t want to clean,
But you need to know that I have a mind that wants to be set free.
If I was a boy you’d school me,
If I was a boy you’d teach me.
But because I have a womb you think I should make babies.
Let me repeat, school who? School you? Yes me,
Or are you intimidated by my mentality, sexuality.