SOCIAL CAUSES OF DROPOUT IN LITERACY AND NON-FORMAL BASIC EDUCATION IN URBAN PUNJAB: A STUDY OF SARGODHA DIVISION

The dropout rate is viewed as a significant barrier to achieving the national goal of a 100% literacy rate in Pakistan. The current study aimed to investigate the social causes of dropout in Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Institutions (L&NFBEIs) at the primary level in urban areas of the Sargodha Division of Punjab. This descriptive study employed a mixed-methods research design. The population comprised all stakeholders involved in the Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education initiative in Sargodha Division, including District Education Officers, Project Literacy Coordinators, District Trainers, Literacy Mobilizers, dropout learners, their parents, and community members from urban areas. Data were collected using a multi-stage sampling technique from a total of 212 respondents across four districts of Sargodha Division: Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali, and Bhakkar. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, whereas quantitative data were examined through descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages). The findings revealed that poverty (85%), parents’ lack of awareness (85%), learners’ lack of interest in education (78%), lack of a conducive learning environment in institutions (76%), family migration (75%), and inadequate physical facilities (73%) were the major causes of dropout at the primary level. In addition, factors such as female learners taking care of siblings (66%), conflicts between working and study hours (58%), child labour, social status, and the location of NFBE schools in peripheral areas were also identified as significant social causes of dropout. The study is expected to raise awareness among the authorities of Literacy and Non-Formal Basic Education Department, policymakers, parents of dropout learners, and community members regarding the urgent need to address the causes of dropout. It is recommended that monetary incentives be provided to learners to mitigate dropout linked to poverty and low socio-economic status. Furthermore, discouraging child labour at the national level may prove effective in minimizing early dropout.