This was more prevalent a couple of decades ago, but in general, women were expected to become wives, and to take care of the children and home, therefore education was not particularly necessary. Men however, would carry the family name, and would be required to work and provide for the family, thus requiring education. Parents may accord less priority to girls' education compared to the boys' due to social norms and expectations e.g. girls becoming housewives and not requiring education to such and extent as boys, who would later become men, and would require education to support themselves, and their wives/children.
When our parents were children the men were seen as the providers for the family and so they saw that education as an important factor in order for the men to be able to get a job that could support the family. It really is kind of an old fashioned mindset and has started to not be as popular. Parents have started focusing more equally on girls and boys education because females are becoming more independent and also have started getting married closer to mid to late 20's as opposed to early 20's because there has been more emphasis place on women getting a higher education and starting better jobs before they get married especially because it is getting harder and harder for most families to live on only a mans paycheck even though women are paid less on average.<span />
