Exploring Gender Disparities in Parental Support for Education of Children at Higher Secondary Level: A Case Study of District Swat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Educational inequalities result from multiple factors related to the cultural, social and economic conditions of families and societies as a whole. Similarly, gender disparities in patriarchal societies stem from various reasons and beliefs rooted in people’s mind, creating a favorable environment for one gender while being unconducive for the other. The Objectives of the study were to explore gender disparities in parental support at the higher secondary level, identify the causes of these disparities, and recommend strategies for equal parental support in the education of both male and female children at the higher secondary level in district swat, KP Pakistan. Twenty intermediate level students- ten males and ten females- were selected as participants for data collection. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from the participants. The data were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six stages of analysis. The study revealed gender disparities in the financial, academic, and socio-economic support provided by parents for their children’s education at the higher secondary level. It also identified socio-cultural values and economic factors as causes of gender disparities in children’s education. The study recommends equal financial, academic, and socio-emotional support from parents for the education of male and female children at inter level.