Socio-economic and Cultural Factors Behind Female Students’ Dropout in District Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Abstract

This study aims to explore the factors influencing girls’ dropout in the Malakand district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The study specifically examined socioeconomic and cultural factors that contributed to girls’ dropping out of school. Data were collected from twenty-seven girls who dropped out of school. An interview guide was used for in-depth interviews with students who dropped out of secondary school certificate (SSC) and higher secondary school certificate (HSSC) levels. The data were analyzed using qualitative data analysis methods and techniques. The study highlighted that early marriage of girls is one of the major factors that causes girls to drop out of school. We also found that domestic responsibilities were other factors behind girls’ dropping out of school. This study further concluded that social norms and cultural restrictions were among the dominant factors leading girls to drop out of school in the early years, such as in SSC and HSSC.