JAMB Use of English 1990 Question 15

Question 15

Comprehension
JAMB 1990 Passage III: Education of girls in less developed countries
If we examine the opportunities for education of girls or women in less developed countries, we usually find a dismal picture. In some countries, the ratio of boys to girls in secondary schools is more than seven to one. What happens to the girls? Often they are kept at home to look after younger siblings and to perform a variety of […]es. Their education is not perceived as in any way equal in importance to […]. […] illiterate or barely literate girl reaches adolescence, she has little or no qualification for […] community provides any opportunity for the employment of women. The solution is to get […] soon as possible, with the inevitable result that she produces children too soon, too often and too […]. formal education, she is hardly aware that there is any alternative. In a study made in Thailand […] that the literate woman marries later and ceases childbearing earlier than her non-literate counterpart […] latter is so chained to her household by the necessities of gathering fuel, preparing food and tending children that she is very difficult to reach, even if health services, nutrition, education, maternal and child health centres are available in her community. She does not understand what they are intended to do.

(Adopted from Margot Higgins: War on Hunger)

The writer emphasizes that in less developed countries,

  1. A.the education of girls is not important
  2. B.the non-literate woman has some advantage because she has more children
  3. C.the literate female is a threat to the male in employment
  4. D.there is a need to give boys and girls equal opportunities in education.
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (there is a need to give boys and girls equal opportunities in education.)

Explanation

The writer shows the harm done by neglecting girls' education and contrasts literate and non-literate women, arguing for equal educational opportunity.