Female Students’ Dropout at Primary Schools in the District of Quetta, Balochistan: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Education is the most influential factor for empowering girls; however, the literacy rate of girls in Baluchistan is alarming. This study investigated the causes of female dropout at the primary schools in the district of Quetta, Baluchistan. The study was qualitative and based on semi-structured interviews. The sampling technique was two-staged, where at the first stage, dropout students were identified through snowball sampling, and they and their parents were interviewed. Then, the principals and teachers of the schools where they dropped out were interviewed. In total, 25 dropout students, 25 parents, 13 heads of schools, and 26 teachers were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. The findings revealed that the main causes of female dropout at the primary school level were parents’ attitude, social norms, teachers’ behavior and absenteeism, and students’ lack of interest towards their studies. On the other hand, the findings also presented the remedial measures.