Exploring the Obstacles School Council Members Face in Advancing Girls' Access to Secondary Education in Punjab

Abstract

Women's education has a significant impact on equality, social progress, and economic prosperity at the international, national, and regional levels. Despite tremendous advancements, millions of women and girls over the world still encounter obstacles when trying to obtain high-quality education. In Pakistan, cultural, socioeconomic, and institutional barriers continue to impede women's full educational involvement, especially in areas like Punjab.To ensure quality education in school government has initiated Insaff afternoon school,Danish school and school council. School council is one of the incentives which aims to foster a positive learning environment for females as they consist of teachers ,parents and members of community to enhance girls enrollment in secondary school. According to the School Information System (www.sis.punjab.gov.pk), there were a total of 34 secondary schools in Tehsil Chiniot, with each school having 12 council members, resulting in a total population of 408 council members. A sample size of 110 council members was determined using the Survey System (www.surveysystem.com) with a 95% confidence level and an 8% confidence interval. Data collection was conducted using a structured questionnaire, through convenient sampling and the data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results of this review article revealed that school council members in Tehsil Chiniot face significant political, cultural, and financial challenges in enhancing girls' enrollment in secondary schools. Politically, the most prominent issue was resistance from community elders and leaders (M = 3.81), followed by political instability such as protests (M = 3.74), and lack of political support (M = 3.70). Culturally, the top challenge identified was social stigma toward families educating girls (M = 3.97), along with traditional expectations that girls prioritize household duties over education (M = 3.88), and a general preference for boys' education (M = 3.75). Financially, the highest-ranked issue was poverty-related barriers causing girls to drop out (M = 3.98), followed by the inability to afford school supplies and uniforms (M = 3.92), and economic pressures leading families to prioritize boys’ schooling (M = 3.87). These findings highlight the multifaceted barriers school councils must navigate and underscore the need for targeted, collaborative interventions to address political resistance, shift cultural perceptions, and provide financial support to increase girls' access to secondary education.