KATHMANDU, JUNE 27

Poverty is the strongest constraint to reaching universal primary education in Pakistan. Children belonging to economically better-off families have higher school enrolment rates and lower dropout rates than their poorer counterparts.

Impoverished families often cannot afford the costs associated with schooling. Also, as a result, many parents prefer that children contribute towards income generation by joining the labor market at an early age. Much of this is unpaid family labor, such as helping with household chores.

Poverty is one of the leading causes of high dropout rates among girls in Pakistan. Education indicators are generally much worse for girls than for boys. Female students are increasingly more likely to drop out of school than males at higher levels of education.

Average learning levels in rural areas are lower among girls compared to boys in all subjects.

Long home-to-school distances and poor transportation and communication facilities are also key causes for high dropout rates, especially for female students.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 28, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.