How Cultural Norms Impact Women's Education in Pakistan

In a country of about 220 million, education is a critical issue for Pakistan’s youth. Almost 22.8 million children are said to be without education, and, unfortunately, for young girls, the situation is worse with only 8.6 million receiving primary education. A drastic drop after and only 2.8 million girls are left in their lower secondary education. These statistics coupled with cultural norms threaten a young girl’s education.

THE CYCLE

Pakistan’s ongoing language struggle between English and Urdu only complicates things further. Despite Urdu being the national language of Pakistan, students are taught in English from their teachers to their textbooks (an exception is made for certain subjects such as Islamic and Pakistan studies which are taught in Urdu).

However, the problem arises in the fact that oftentimes, there is not a sufficient level of understanding when it comes to English in both the students and teachers as well. In simpler terms, the instruction these students end up receiving can be of poor quality, and many students fail to perform adequately as a result. This is especially the case for non-private or elite schools where there isn’t as much of an emphasis on the English language. The cycle is repeated when these same students go on to potentially become instructors in the classroom.

CULTURAL NORMS

All across Pakistan, gender inequality and cultural norms wipe away the dreams of young girls wishing to be educated. In rural provinces such as Balochistan, the difference between the number of men and women educated is severe, with 81% of women not even having finished primary education. With the cost of education being high and the quality poor in numerous areas, girls are often pulled out of school, an explanation as to why these percentages are so large. They’re then married off and forced to take the responsibility of a family. In fact, it’s estimated that around 21 percent of women in Pakistan are victims of child marriages.

SO WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

While the ideal solution would be increased government involvement, educational resources for families in poverty, and a higher quality of education, such actions may take a while before they occur. However, this is where we come into play. At Breaking Barriers Through Education, we firmly believe every girl has a right to education so that they may chase higher in their ambitions. It’s because of this belief that we strive to provide children in Pakistan educational resources such as teaching English free of cost so that they can achieve better opportunities for themselves!