Schooling for the Urban Poor: Insights from Urban Slums of Islamabad, Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29145/eer.91.02Keywords:
child schooling, educational inequality, gender disparity, Probit model, role of CDA, urban slumsAbstract
Child schooling is a cornerstone of human capital formation, fostering economic growth, social mobility, and empowerment. It reduces inequality, enhances health outcomes, and promotes social cohesion across generations. The current study aimed to investigate the economic and demographic determinants of child schooling and gender educational disparity among slum dwellers in Islamabad, Pakistan. Despite the constitutional guarantee of free primary education, slum children remain highly disadvantaged due to poverty, poor living conditions, and administrative barriers. Primary survey data was collected from 423 households across 52 legal and illegal slums of Islamabad, targeting children aged 4–18 years to account for delayed enrollment and slow progression. Empirical results revealed that approximately 32% of school-age children are out of school, with a pronounced gender gap as female children are disproportionately excluded. Household income, expenditures, mother’s education, and the age of children significantly influence enrollment, while slum-specific factors, such as illegality of residence, frequent displacement, and discriminatory practices by schools and authorities emerge as critical barriers. The findings highlighted that while economic variables drive enrollment decisions, slum-related constraints strongly affect school choice and continuation. The study concluded that integrated policies addressing poverty, documentation barriers, and discrimination are necessary, alongside targeted interventions to improve access and quality of education in urban slums.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Saira Habib, Muhammad Jamil, Eatzaz Ahmed
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