A residential school in backward blocks for SC, ST, OBC, minority and BPL girls; tuition, hostel and meals at no cost.
In Kollam, 21.1% of girls aged 15 to 21 are out of education, better than the typical district. 99.8% of schools have a functional girls' toilet. The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya exists to pull girls back into schooling and keep them there with residential support.
73% of registered enterprises are in services while 27% are in manufacturing. Only 6% of employment is in small and medium enterprises. 90% of school-age children are enrolled in higher secondary school (classes 9–12).
In Kollam, which ranks 6 of 15 in Kerala for youth opportunity, the overall opportunity score is 56.7 out of 100. The district runs ahead of the national picture on secondary school enrolment in classes 9 to 12 at 90.1%, while it lags on women's freedom of movement at 13.2% and women who own a house at 39.2%.