ASSESSING THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN THE SOCIOECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING FEMALE HIGHER EDUCATION IN SWAT, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The developed nations provide equal importance to male and female’s higher education, however the developing countries including Pakistan pay less attention towards female’s higher education. Therefore, this study examines socio economic and cultural constraints affecting female’s higher education in district Swat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The aim of study is to explore constraints influencing female’s education such as social, economic and cultural problems, and to suggest potential solutions to the problems being identified in this study. A primary survey was conducted with the help of questionnaire and data were collected from 88 respondents through multi stage sampling. The findings show that lack of education institutes and financial condition of the household are the primary constraints to female education. Moreover, the result reveals that gender inequality, preference to boy’s education over girl’s education, educational expenses, male dominancy, distance to institutes and co-education system are main reasons for low enrollment of females in higher education. This study also identifies others constraints to female’s education such as early marriages, purdah (code of honor) and norms of the society. Based on the conclusion the researcher recommended that all stakeholders, especially the government and civil societies need to utilize both social and traditional media for creating awareness at micro and macro levels that would help in decreasing the negative perception of female’s education.