The Experiences of Illiterate Women Regarding their Illiteracy: An Exploratory Study of Quetta, Pakistan.

Abstract

This study aims to explore the experiences of illiterate women regarding their illiteracy in the Provincial capital, Quetta, Pakistan. The majority of towns and villages in the province of Balochistan have been significantly impacted by illiteracy of women. In identifying school-based factors and issues with the availability of education that contribute to the dropout rate of most females from school, the primary goals of this study were to identify the socio-economic and cultural factors that cause the majority of females to not attend school. The study's main objective was to explore the obstacles facing women education in the targeted area. The difficulties faced by females in Quetta of education were explored using an exploratory research design. This study's final sample size was determined on 18. Focus groups and in-depth interviews were used to gather primary data. Parents and out of-school girls from the two tehsils in Quetta were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. To present qualitative data, techniques like transcription, memo writing, coding and theme characterization were employed. The findings of the present study showed that among the obstacles affecting women's education are poverty, early marriages, son bias, social exclusion, a shortage of school restrooms, issues related to the educational supply, early childbirths. It is recommended that cultural customs, and domestic chores of females, cultural practices and school dropout should be minimized.