EDUCATIONAL JOURNEYS IN RURAL PAKISTAN: FACILITATORS AND BARRIERS FOR CHILDREN IN DISTRICT KARAK, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

This paper examines the facilitators and barriers that shape children’s educational journeys in District Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Using qualitative approach, we explored the perspectives and experiences of local communities and young people regarding their educational trajectories. A case study design was employed, with one Union Council (UC) purposively selected for in-depth investigation. A comprehensive profile of the selected UC was developed to identify young people who were out of school or had dropped out before completing Grade 10^th, as well as those who had successfully completed graduation. Twenty male and female participants from each group were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The data was analyzed thematically, resulting in five major themes: (1) gender norms and educational opportunities; (2) parental economic capital; (3) parental social capital; (4) parental cultural capital; and (5) institutional and structural inequalities. The findings suggest that educational (dis)advantages are transmitted across generations through interconnected social, economic, cultural, and institutional mechanisms. The educational success of children, therefore, cannot be understood solely in terms of individual ability, motivation, or merit. Rather, it is significantly shaped by the socio-cultural and material environment in which children grow up, including the opportunities and constraints created by wider institutional and structural conditions.