Girls' Education in a Rural Punjab Village: A Case Study of Gobind Garh

Girls in Gobind Garh, a farming village in tehsil Safdarabad, district Sheikhupura, often leave school early or never start, although the village has a government girls’ school. This case study asks why, drawing on the author’s observation as a village resident and informal conversations with about 30 villagers. By the author’s estimate, 20% of girls in the families she knows never started school and 30% stopped after class 10 to do housework, while 25% attend private schools because their fathers earn well and 25% stay in government schools because they do well academically. Five patterns emerged: the beliefs of older family members, fear for women’s safety and the talk it causes, rising costs with little real learning, pressure from what others say, and children written off as weak. The paper recommends teaching for understanding, a technical school with computer facilities, training sessions for parents, extra help for weaker students, and safer, more respectful conditions for girls. The figures are approximate and describe one village only.