Out of School Children in Rural Areas of Punjab: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to explore the causes of miss-out children from rural areas of Punjab. Further the study objective was to provide an in-depth exploration of the experiences of families who did not enroll their children in any school. The approach of the study was qualitative and participants were selected by considering the needs of the study. The study has provided useful insight and learning around the experiences of 25 families, across two districts of the Punjab; 13 families from district Multan and 12 families from district DG Khan were taken conveniently. An interview as data collection tool was used to get the data from children who are not going to school and their parents, and social workers of the community where they reside. The finding showed that poverty, education system, family’s migrations due to rented homes, unemployment, low social status, teachers’ attitude towards students, lack of skill-based curriculum, orphan hood, social and cultural pressures contribute to the student miss.