LOW LEVELS EDUCATION REASON IN POOR COUNTRY

Many reasons could be attributed to it:

Gender Discrimination

Major factors that hinder enrollment rates include opportunity cost, poverty, cultural constraints, illiteracy of parents and parental concerns about safety and mobility of their daughters. The economic benefits from schooling are particularly doubtful for girls as society approves of Pardah. Also, since girls have a labor force participation rate of only 4.3% of total population (Tahir et.al, 15), the returns to education seems minimal. Female enrollment rates are low as schooling system is considered to have a bad impact on girl’s character. Society’s emphasis on girl’s modesty, protection and early marriages may limit family’s willingness to send them to school. Enrollment by rural girls is 45% lower than that by urban girls; while for boys the difference is of 10% only, showing that gender gap is another factor (Lloyd 106). There exists a positive relation between enrollment and household incomes. Recent studies have shown that income shocks (death of family member or animals) affect enrollments, with greater impact for girls (Lloyd 102).

Cost Of Education

The cost of education is another determinant for parents to decide whether to send their children; to government schools, private schools or no schools. Cost of education has increased further due to increased inflation. Educating a child in public school costs twice to society as would cost in private school. Although private schools appear cheaper but government fees appear “free” to parents, however society bears the cost by paying taxes (Andrabi et.al 40). Societal “cost of learning” is lower in private schools, but private schools are located in richer settlements only. The paradox is that private schools are better but not everywhere and governments schools ensure equitable access but do not provide quality education.

Only then could there be a hope for higher enrollment rates accompanied with proper retention and low drop outs rate. Parents and society in general has to reshape its preferences and thinking about education for the system to improve. And to supplement this government has to provide the resources along with diverse opportunities to provide proper returns to education. Equality of opportunities where returns of education could be compensated is the key to fix the demand side problems of education.