CAUSES OF GIRLS DROP OUT FROM PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN TEHSIL BAHRAIN DISTRICT SWAT, KPK PAKISTAN

Aqsa Bibi¹---Waqar Ahmad²⁺

¹Department of English, Government Degree College, Madyan Swat, Kpk Pakistan
²Department of Agricultural Economics and Management, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan China

Keywords:Dropout student, GGPS madyan, GGPS ayeen, GGPS darolai, GGPS jail, Swat kpk Pakistan.

ARTICLE HISTORY: Received:9 October 2018, Revised:15 November 2018, Accepted:10 December 2018, Published:23 January 2019

1. INTRODUCTION

Education plays a vital role in human capital formation. It raises the productivity and efficiency of individuals and thus produces skilled manpower that is capable of leading the economy towards the path of sustainable economic development. Like many other developing countries, the situation of the education sector in Pakistan is not very encouraging. The low enrolment rates at the primary level, wide disparities between regions and gender, lack of trained teachers, deficiency of proper teaching materials and poor physical infrastructure of schools indicate the poor performance of this sector.

In Pakistan, the quality of primary and secondary education has a declining trend. It is realized that science education in particular is reaching lowest ebb and needs to be improved urgently. At the time of independence and thereafter there remained acute shortage of teachers, laboratories were poor and ill equipped and curriculum had little relevance to present day needs (Behrman, 1976).

The Education Sector in Pakistan suffers from insufficient financial input, low levels of efficiency for implementation of programs, and poor quality of management, monitoring, supervision and teaching. As a result, Pakistan has one of the lowest rates of literacy in the world, and the lowest among countries of comparative resources and social/economic situations. With a per capita income of over $450 Pakistan has an adult literacy rate of 49%, while both Vietnam and India with less per capita income have literacy rates of 94% and 52%, respectively (KPBOS, 2017). Literacy is higher in urban areas and in the provinces of Sindh and Punjab, among the higher income group, and in males.

Education plays a key role in the uprising and development of any human society .Education is the dire need of human, and considered as a universal human right throughout the world. Education plays an important role towards social progress, political stability and brings economic development because it enhances the productivity and efficiency of the people and provides them necessary skills in most of the developing and under developed countries. Due to education people assume their respective roles and fulfill them efficiently and eventually support the sustainable economic growth of the country. According to most of the social scientists and experts, poor role of education system is critical factor of political instability, economic disorder and social inadequacy (Hussain, 2014).

Primary education has gained central importance in the lives of student for achieving further higher education. This is the initial gate way for enhancing the literacy rate in countries proving basis for social, political and economic development (Jan et al., 2015).

According to Ampiah et al. (2016) two-third of the world adults illiterates are women. A high proportion of among these lives rural and remote areas where exist insufficient resources. Women’s who lack basic literacy skills are unemployed or engaged in irregular or poorly paid jobs. They tends to get marry at younger age and are completely dependent on their males. In some remote areas they are then treated as a slave .Literacy empowers women, enabling their mobility, enhancing decision making and ensuring better command over their own live.

In the constitution of the Islamic republic of Pakistan education is considered as a basic right of each citizen but still gender discrepancies do exist. Gender is one of the principles of social organization in Pakistan. Family is defined by women, while men dominate the world outside the home, with the husband as the family pillar. Men and women are thus conceptually divided into two separate spheres. Family resources favor sons; it creates their assigned roles and equips them with skills to compete for resources in the public arena.

2. DISTRICT SWAT, KPK LITERACY RATE

Swat valley is administrative district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Swat is renowned for its outstanding natural beauty. Swat’s capital is Saidu Sharif, though the largest city, and main commercial Centre, is the nearby city of Mingora. With a population of 2,309,570 according to the 2017 census, Swat is the third-largest district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pashtun tribes primarily inhabit the Valley with the Pashtunwali code of conduct.

The literacy rate of this district was increased and declined on intervals. Numerous reasons are involved in this down fall which includes

1. Poor governance
2. Poor security
3. Spoilage of resources
4. Various terrorist organizations and their rule
5. Poor management.
6. Gender disparity.
7. Poor transportation.
8. Early marriages.
9. Financial problems

For girl students, economic factors, along with cultural norms, dictate gender segregation and complicate their access to education. In the prevailing social environment, girls are not allowed to utilize public transportation and their main conveyance tends to be private vehicles, which many cannot afford.

3. IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN’S EDUCATION

Education has been of central significance to the development of human society.  Education is not only the beginning of individual knowledge, information or awareness but rather a holistic strategy for development of human kind.

Education is a critical input in human resource development and is essential for the country's economic growth. It increases the productivity and efficiency of individuals, and it produces a skilled labor force that is capable of leading the economy towards sustainable growth and prosperity. Education is very much connected to women's ability to form social relationships on the basis of equality with others and to achieve the important social good of self-respect. It is important, as well, to mobility (through access to jobs and the political process) and to health and life. Education can allow women to participate in politics so they can ensure that their voices and concerns are heard and addressed in the public policy. It is also crucial for women's access to the legal system Education is regarded as the key factor in overcoming the barriers that women face and the basic tool for empowering women and bringing them into the main stream of development, Narisha et al. (2015).

Education not only provides knowledge and skills to improve health and livelihoods, but item powers women to take their right place in society and the development process. Education gives status and confidence in decision making. Educating women is the key to reducing poverty (GOP, 2017).

4. PROBLEM STATEMENT

In the valley of district swat there are a number of rural areas where girls are deprived of basic education. They drop out of schools in their childhood because the schools lack basic facilities; also their right to education is affected by cultural norms, gender discrimination, poverty, insurgency hurdles,   

5. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

  The purpose of this research is to find out why students in Tehsil Bahrain district SWAT drop out in primary schools. In order to know what factors lead girls to drop out of school, the following objectives were considered to be achieved

6. OBJECTIVES

1. To explore the nature and attributes of phenomena of girls dropout in primary school.
2. To investigate the causes and reasons of girls dropout in primary schools.
3. To look at teachers and parents views about dropout students

7. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 

1. What are the factors that influence the dropout rate among girls?  
2. To what extent do girls and boys dropout?
3. What are the opinions of the teachers and parents about dropout students’?

8. CAUSES OF DROPOUT

There are worldwide different factors and causes that may force girls leave school. Some of these factors as follows:

8.1. Gender Disparity

According to UNDP (2015) report, Pakistan ranked 120 in 146 countries in terms of  Gender-related Development Index(GDI), and in terms of  Gender Empowerment Measurement (GEM) ranking, it ranked 92 in 94 countries. Gender inequality in education can be measured indifferent ways. Gross and net enrollment rates and completion and drop-out rates are the ways to identify the gender inequality in education. Strong gender disparities exist in literacy and educational attainment between rural and urban areas of Pakistan.

The survey report reveals largest disparity regard to education. Most of opportunities were given to the male child, as he was considered the earning member and will lead the family thereafter and females were supposed to stay at home to get married and also help their parents in doing households. Little girls take care of their siblings, fetch water and help mothers in the kitchen. Parents discriminate between their sons and daughters education and they prefer to educate their male child than female child .In this ways females lag behind in education

8.2. Insurgency Hurdles

Women’s education is not only affected by gender discrepancies but also opposed by terrorist and extremist movements in district swat.  In these 401 schools were destroyed in district swat.  Dawn newspaper September 2012. The terrorist opposed girl’s education for which they directly targeted girl’s schools. The study showed that the parents were still in fear of getting their female children educated, as they had been through the rough time of their lives.

8.3. Rural vs Urban

In the year, 2015, the literacy rate in urban areas was recorded 58.3% while in areas it was urban 28.3%, and only 12% among rural women. An interesting factor in this context is that female enrollment was recorded highest at the primary level, but it progressively decreases at the secondary, college and tertiary levels. It was estimated that less than 3% of the 17 – 23 age group of girls have access to higher education.  Pakistan educational statistics Government of Pakistan.

9. DROP OUT 

The concept for dropout itself is confusing, because each country has its own concept and definition for it.

From Thai perspective (Nicaise, 2000) find out dropout that the students who stay away from school more than given number of days or all those who either don’t enter to school or leave school before completion of education cycle called dropout.
Besides this, Rumberger (2001) defines dropout  as “that a persons who has not completed school cycle and who is no longer enrolled in school or program that can lead to high school completion at a particular point in time”.
While according to Ping et al. (2015) “The dropout phenomenon was called “school- leaving” and was considered to be a psychological problem based on interest and attitudes.”

10. LIMITATION

 There were some limitations to this study that could narrow the research. The first limitation was access to children who left the school. The teachers and students didn’t know exactly the home addresses dropout girls. For example; some families move from one place to another place, left school because of security reasons or got engaged.
The second limitation to this study was the honesty of some of the answers because children answers were affected by asking a strange woman, In addition parents didn’t let strangers enter their houses to interview their children especially for the girls because culturally people don’t like strangers enter to their houses whether that is male or female, so only a small number of dropouts were interviewed and filled questionnaires. This small number of school dropouts cannot represent the view of the entire school dropout students.
Also they were primary class dropout so they didn’t have enough skill for reading and writing questionnaire and the questions were repeated several times for girls   to answer. So I helped girls to fill the questionnaires. The parents of dropout were busy in their daily work and some of them were out of city but I tried my best and find them and fill questionnaires

11. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

11.1. Research Design

The samples were obtained from the people living and working in rural area of Tehsil Bahrain district SWAT kpk Pakistan. Personal characteristics of respondents, including gender, residency status, age, education level, number of family members, the health status of family members, the annual household income, the average household food expenditure per month and marital status.

11.2. Research Method

Literature review research method: Review of previous research, using sources from books, internet, and related documents from recent years. At the same time of collecting investigation reports and statistical documents of state agencies at survey locations.

Questionnaire survey research method: At the same time with conducting the survey, in-depth interviews with the Students, Parents and teachers. Investigation time from November 2018 to December, 2018. Research methods including descriptive statistical analysis were used. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS software version 21.

11.3. Sample Collection

For this research qualitative methods was used to find out the number of dropouts in different schools. To collect information, three questionnaires were designed as a structure interview (self-completion questionnaire) and some open questions for girls who dropped out of school, this questionnaire consisted of 29 questions mainly related to school information, family background, and reasons for dropping out, teachers' behaviour. The second questionnaire was designed for teachers. This questioner consisted of 11 questions mainly dealing with reasons for students dropping out of school and their ideas on importance of education. There were two more open questions to give some recommendation about education. The third questionnaire was for parent (Father) of the dropout students. This questionnaire consisted of 8 questions mainly dealing with reasons of dropping out of school, their background information and their ideas on importance of education. Two more open questions were added to give some information and recommendation about education.

12. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

12.1. Socio-Economics Characteristics of the Respondents:

Gender Condition of the Respondents:

From the following Table and figures1 at shows that majority of the respondents were female because we take data from the girl’s school. Hence 100% of the respondents were female.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	female	80	100.0	100.0	100.0

Source: Servey of Data in November & December, 2018

Figure-1. Gender Condition Source: Servey of data in November& December, 2018

Age of the Respondents:

From the following Table 2 and Figures 2, it is clear that 11.3% of the respondent’s age were 5-6 years, 41.3% of the respondent’s age were 7-8 years, and 38.8% of the respondent’s age were 9-10 years, and 8.8% of the respondent’s age were 11 /above. Hence from the Table and Figures at shows majority age were between 7-8 Years.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	5-6	9	11.3	11.3	11.3
	7-8	33	41.3	41.3	52.5
	9-10	31	38.8	38.8	91.3
	11 and above	7	8.8	8.8	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figures-2. Age of the respondents Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Household Size:

From the following Table 3 and Figures 3 at is clear that 17.5% of the respondents households size were 1-3 persons, while 42.5% of the respondents households size were 3-5 persons, while 37.5% of the respondents households size were 6-8 persons, and 2.5 % of the respondents households size were 9-10 persons.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	1-3	14	17.5	17.5	17.5
	3-5	34	42.5	42.5	60.0
	6-8	30	37.5	37.5	97.5
	9-10	2	2.5	2.5	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figures-3. Household Size of the Respondents Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Level of the Study:

From the following table 4 and Figures 4 it is clear that 3.8% of the respondents level of the study were Nursery, while 10% of the respondents level of the study were KG, 18.8% of the respondents level of the study were First, while 25% of the respondents were study level were second, 17.5% of the respondents were level of the study were third, 13.8% of the respondents study level were fourth, and 11.3% of the respondents were study level were fifth.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Nursery	3	3.8	3.8	3.8
	KG	8	10.0	10.0	13.8
	First	15	18.8	18.8	32.5
	Second	20	25.0	25.0	57.5
	Third	14	17.5	17.5	75.0
	fourth	11	13.8	13.8	88.8
	Fifth	9	11.3	11.3	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figures-4. shows level of the study of the respondent Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Parents Conditions:

From the following Table 5 and figures 5 it is clear that 86.3% of the respondents parents were live, while 2.5% of the respondents Mom is alive father is died, 5% of the respondents Mom is died and father is alive, while 6.3% of the respondents None of them alive.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	They are alive	69	86.3	86.3	86.3
	Mom is alive father is died	2	2.5	2.5	88.8
	Mom is died and father is alive	4	5.0	5.0	93.8
	None of them alive.	5	6.3	6.3	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Figures-5. shows parents conditions of the respondent Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Family Income of the Respondents:

From the following Table 6 and Figures 6, it is clear that 42.5% of the respondent’s income are only Salary, while 33.8% of the respondent’s income comes from Business, while 20.0 % of the respondent’s income comes from farming, and 3.8% of the respondent’s income comes from others sources.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Salary	34	42.5	42.5	42.5
	Business	27	33.8	33.8	76.3
	Farmers	16	20.0	20.0	96.3
	others	3	3.8	3.8	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Figures-6. Shows family income of the respondents Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Economics Condition of Family:

From the Table 7 and Figures 7 it is clear that 1.3% of the respondents are wealthy, while 46.3% of the respondents were Middle class, 47.5% of the respondents were Lower middle class, and 5% of the respondents were poor.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	wealthy	1	1.3	1.3	1.3
	Middle class	37	46.3	46.3	47.5
	Lower middle	38	47.5	47.5	95.0
	Poor	4	5.0	5.0	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figure-7. Shows Economics Condition of the respondents Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Qualification of Parents:

According to the following Table 8 and Figures 8, 26.3% of the respondent’s qualification are basic schooling, while 58.8% of the respondent qualification are high schooling, and 15% of the respondent’s qualification are graduate.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Basic Schooling	21	26.3	26.3	26.3
	High Schooling	47	58.8	58.8	85.0
	Graduate	12	15.0	15.0	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figure-8. Shows qualification of the parents Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Marks Obtain by Respondents in the Last Exam:

From the table 9 and Figures 9, it is clear that  2.5% of the respondents obtain below 33% of marks, while 10% of the respondents obtain 34-50% of marks, while 21.3% of the respondents obtain 51-60% of marks in the last exam, while 26.3% of the respondents obtain 61-65% of marks in the last exam, while 21.3% of the respondents obtain 66-75% of marks in the last exam, while 13.8% of the respondents obtain 76-80% of marks in the last exam, and 5% of the respondents obtain 81-90% of marks in the last exam.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	below 33%	2	2.5	2.5	2.5
	34-50%	8	10.0	10.0	12.5
	51-60%	17	21.3	21.3	33.8
	61-65%	21	26.3	26.3	60.0
	66-75%	17	21.3	21.3	81.3
	76-80%	11	13.8	13.8	95.0
	81-99%	4	5.0	5.0	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figures-9. shows marks obtained in last exam Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Education is Important for Girls:

According from the following table 10 and figures 10, shows that 76.3% of the respondents says education is important for girls, while 6.3% of the respondents answer education is not important for girls, while 17.5% of the respondents answer don’t know.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Agree	61	76.3	76.3	76.3
	Disagree	5	6.3	6.3	82.5
	Dont know	14	17.5	17.5	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figure-10. shows education is important for girls or not Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Education will Change your Future or not:

From the table 11 and Figures 11 at is clear that 90% of the respondents answer is that education change our future, while 5% of the respondents answer is that education cannot change your future, while 5% of the respondents answer don’t know.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Agree	72	90.0	90.0	90.0
	Disagree	4	5.0	5.0	95.0
	Dont know	4	5.0	5.0	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figure-11. shows that education will change your future or not Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

School Leaving Reason:

From the following Table 12 and figures 12 at shows that 20% of school living reason is that they want to support family, while 15% of the respondent school leaving reason is that they failed in school, while 10% of the respondent answer the reason of school leaving is that they don’t like school, while 15% of the respondents answer is that they leave school because they don’t like teacher, while 5% of the respondent answer that reason of school leaving is that they can’t afford  schooling, while 3.8% of the respondents answer is that the leaving reason of school is that school is far away from has area, while 6.3% of the respondents say reason of school leaving is that transport problem, while 10% of the respondent say reason of school leaving is that they have disease , while 15% of the school leaving reason is other.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	To Support Family	16	20.0	20.0	20.0
	Failed in School	12	15.0	15.0	35.0
	Dont like school	8	10.0	10.0	45.0
	Dont like teacher	12	15.0	15.0	60.0
	Cant afford schooling	4	5.0	5.0	65.0
	school is far away	3	3.8	3.8	68.8
	transport problem	5	6.3	6.3	75.0
	disease / Disable	8	10.0	10.0	85.0
	others	12	15.0	15.0	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figure-12. shows school leaving reason of the respondents Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Reaction of the Teacher when I go Late to School:

From the following Table 13 and figures 13, it is clear that when respondents go late to school then teacher give him different type of punishment. 30.1 % of the respondent answer they give him corporal punishment, while 52.5% of the respondents say they fine me, while 12.5% of the respondent say they insult me, while 5% of the respondent answer they advise me.

		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Corporal punishment	24	30.0	30.0	30.0
	Fine me	42	52.5	52.5	82.5
	Insult	10	12.5	12.5	95.0
	Advice me	4	5.0	5.0	100.0
	Total	80	100.0	100.0

Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

Figure-13. shows the reaction of the teacher towards you when you are late Source: Survey of data in November& December, 2018

13. CONCLUSION

 Education is a power. It is the right of each child not only in Tehsil Bahrain district Swat, but also in Pakistan and all the World to get education. However, there are some constrains in getting education especially rural areas of Pakistan.  The study aimed to explore some of the factors that are influencing girl’s   dropout primary schools, also to find out teachers and parents views about school dropout. The aim of the study was achieved somehow because it was found that there were some factors that influenced girls and boys to be dropout of schools in primary schools. 

Some of the main causes of dropout were work to earn some money to support the family (poverty), moving from one place to another, punishment, teachers’ behavior, long distance from house to school and lack of text books and facilities gender disparity insurgency. In some details, the high level of dropout rates for boys both in urban and rural areas may be directly associated with child labor but the high level of drop out for girls in both area may associate with long distance and having no good environment. The parents’ education also counted as an important issue for children education.

Poverty and family income can turn students to leave school and work for family support.  The study’s findings are matching to some extent to the findings of some of the existing knowledge in the area. Some of the found causes for the drop out could not be found in some of the other countries, especially factors which are related to culture because culture of every country is different. For instance, Tehsil Bahrain district SWAT KPP Pakistan when there is no boundary walls for school, people will not accept culturally that their daughters seen by other people pass the road, but in other countries, it wouldn’t be a matter.   It is important that government of Pakistan needs not only to write the planned activities in elimination of such factors on the papers, but also need to take practical actions to reduce the dropout rate. Otherwise the dropout rate may increase every year and in future at will create serious problem for the country.

14. RECOMMENDATIONS

• The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should devise education policies that are gender sensitive.
• Poverty must be eradicated so that the people should be able to send their children to schools without gender bias.
• The government should initiate an Awareness campaign with the partnership of NGOs to spread the importance of educating a girl amongst rural communities.
• Separate schools must be established for girls.

Stipends should be given to girls so that parents are motivated to send more girls to schools.

Funding: This study received no specific financial support.

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Contributors/Acknowledgement: Both authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study.

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