Determinants of Secondary Education Completion among Rural Girls in Balochistan: An Assessment in the Context of SDG 4.1

Abstract

The study examines the determinants of secondary school completion among rural girls in Balochistan in the context of SDG 4.1. The study primarily aims to assess the level of secondary education completion among girls and identify socioeconomic, cultural and institutional factors affecting completion. The study employed a mixed methods research design, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative data were collected from 300 households having at least one female aged between 15 to 18 years. Qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions involving parents, teachers, and community members. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency distributions, percentages, correlation analysis, and binary logistic regression. The findings show that only 40% of the sampled girls had completed secondary education, whereas 60% had not. Logistic regression results indicate that household income, parents’ education, availability of female teachers, and school infrastructure were positively associated with the likelihood of secondary education completion. In contrast, early marriage and greater distance to school significantly reduced the likelihood of completion. The qualitative findings reinforced these results by highlighting poverty, gender norms, household responsibilities, early marriage, restricted mobility, inadequate school facilities, distance, and limited availability of female teachers as major barriers to girls’ educational continuation and completion. The study concludes that low secondary education completion among rural girls is a multidimensional problem requiring integrated interventions. Strengthening targeted financial support, preventing early marriage, improving school accessibility and transportation, recruiting female teachers, upgrading gender-responsive infrastructure, and engaging communities in support of girls’ education are recommended to improve secondary education completion and advance progress towards SDG Target 4.1 in Balochistan.

Keywords: Secondary Education Completion; Rural Girls; Balochistan; SDG 4.1