Bahai Education/Education of Female Students

VIII. EDUCATION OF GIRL STUDENTS

VIII-100. WILL ESTABLISH EQUALITY OF MEN AND WOMEN

a. chief cause of mental and physical inequalities of the sexes are derived from custom and training and are not innate: SW III:3

b. if educational opportunities were made equal and similar, man and woman would equalize in attainment: PUP:75, 108, 233, 318, 375

c. He promulgated the adoption of the same course of education for man and woman. Daughters and sons must follow the same curriculum of study, thereby promoting unity of the sexes.

('Abdu'l-Bahá, "The Promulgation of Universal Peace", p. 175)

VIII-200. TAKES PRECEDENT OVER EDUCATION OF BOYS

a. school for girls taketh precedence over the school for boys, for they are the first educators of children: 'Abdu'l-Baha, in Bahá'í Education, #85, p. 34

b. particular attention to school for girls, for the greatness of this wondrous Age will be manifested as a result of progress in the world of women: 'Abdu'l-Baha, in Bahá'í Education, #70, p. 27

c. education of woman is more necessary and important than education of man, for woman is the trainer of the child from its infancy: PUP:133, 175

VIII-300. CURRICULUM IN COMMON WITH BOYS

a. various branches of knowledge: SWAB:#94, 124

b. good behaviour: SWAB:#94, 124

c. proper way of life: Ibid.

d. cultivation of good character: Ibid.

e. chastity: Ibid.

f. constancy: Ibid.

g. perseverance: Ibid.

h. strength: Ibid.

i. determination: Ibid.

j. firmness of purpose: Ibid.

k. whatever will nurture the health of the body and its physical soundness: Ibid.

VIII-400. CURRICULUM UNIQUE TO GIRLS

(Note: Given the above statement on girls and boys sharing an equal curriculum, the following suggestions on topics for study could either be simply context dependent on the needs in Iran at the time of the writing of the concerning Tablets or due to the fact that such meetings were advised as voluntary activities (and part of a type of meeting also mentioned in conjunction with teaching youth how to teach the Baha'i Faith, etc.) unrelated to what is recommended for public school curricula. The advice to study agricultural sciences, and in other places for women to demonstrate their equality to study history, etc., can be read as encouraging equalization rather than professional specialization)

a. household management: Ibid.

b. education of children: Ibid.

c. whatever applies to the needs of girls: Ibid.

d. how to guard children from disease: Ibid.

e. industrial and agricultural sciences: PUP:283