COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GENDER PARITY IN EDUCATION AMONG REGIONS/AREAS OF PAKISTAN: AN ANALYSIS OF MICS HISTORICAL DATA

Abstract

Fulfilling Gender Parity (GP) in primary education concerning MDG 3.1 and SDG 4.5.1 remains a consistent challenge throughout Pakistan and its regions/areas. The research uses MICS 5&6 data and deploys SPSS-26 and MS Excel to compute GP at the urban/rural, division and district levels. MDG 3.1 and SDG 4.5.1 are attainable targets with governmental determination and societal aid; however, numerous regions in Pakistan do not meet the standard. AJ&K and Punjab got MDG 3.1 in 2008 and 2014, respectively, before the deadline of 2015. Sindh attains a GPI of 0.86 and Baluchistan (0.83), while KP (0.69) observes the most severe gender inequalities, having 31 girls out of school for every 100 boys. In attaining the SDG 4.5.1 target, a GPI of 1.00, Punjab (0.99), Sindh (0.89), Gilgit-Baltistan (0.86), Baluchistan (0.85), and KP (0.80) still have a considerable number of girls out of school. However, AJ&K is the only entity in Pakistan’s 6 regions/areas that achieves the SDG 4.5.1 target with an exact GP score of 1.00, indicating remarkable performance.  Besides, out of 36 divisions and 149 districts in Pakistan, only 3 divisions (8%) and 10 districts (7%) achieved the SDG 4.5.1 target (GPI 1.00). In terms of UNESCO’s GP values (0.97-1.03), AJ&K again leads with 100% and 80% success at the division and district level respectively while the other 5 regions/areas perform relatively poorer: Punjab (60% and 36%), GB (33% and 30%), KP (14% and16%), Baluchistan (14% and 6%), and Sindh (0% and 7%). Both poverty and the illiteracy of mothers widely limit GP realization in all 6 regions/areas. AJ&K’s advantage, however, stems from a strong government commitment, better educational access, community involvement, greater availability of girls’ schools, and female teachers. Other regions, on the other hand, are struggling with limited funds, lethargic community, strict cultural norms and social taboos, son preference, paternity, a patriarchal mindset, lacking transport, early marriages, lacking security, few female teachers and schools with missing facilities, and restricted access along with slower progress towards gender equality in education.