Female Continue to Face Challenges in Acquiring Higher Education in Pakistan

The present study aimed to investigate the challenges, which girls had to face to overcome the cultural obstructions in getting higher education. The study focused on a multitude of cultural barriers and challenges, financial problems, and academic issues that female had to face. Qualitative, as well as a quantitative research approach, was used to know about the experience of respondents which they experienced while getting admission in the university. Questioners were the essential tools to collect the data described by a percentage basis. The study was conducted in Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan (Punjab, Pakistan) because different rural areas surrounded it. The population of the present study consisted of the female students studying in BS (Hons) program and M.sc students of the university. The paper argues that financial constraints included the theme of the scarcity of resources allocated to girls. Due to poor economic conditions, parents preferred their son’s education as compared to the daughter’s school and suggested that due to limited resources, parents choose between daughter’s education and son’s education. “From these excerpts, it was also revealed that families did not invest in girl’s education due to their restricted productivity in generating income for the family. The results also show that various factors are responsible for the social exclusion of girls from the education sector of Pakistan. These factors include the conservative attitude of family and preference to boy’s education. The originality of this paper is that the conservative opinion of the family and community is the primary determinant of low enrollment rate of girls in higher education. In addition to this, the result of the research depicts that little parental education also results in a flat enrollment rate in Pakistan.


Introduction
Education plays a pivotal role in developing human capital in any society. Education has become a universal human right all around the globe. Article thirty-seven of the Constitution of Pakistan stipulates that education is a fundamental right of every citizen, but still, gender discrepancies exist in the educational sector. According to Human Development Report (2011) of United Nations Development Program, the ratio of female to male with at least secondary education is 0.502, and public expenditure on education amounts to only 2.7% of the GDP of the country. Education, in a very general sense, can be summed up at a basic level as referring to experience or act that has a formative effect on the mind, character, or physical ability of an individual. In short, it is forming something that will have a long-lasting impact on the person's mind and faculties. The most obvious example of this is the ability to understand and use of language and mathematics' skill, which is then utilized throughout an individual's life.

Importance of Women's Education
Education has been of central significance to the development of human society. It can be the beginning, not only of personal knowledge, information, and awareness but also a holistic strategy for growth and change. Education can allow women to participate in politics so they can ensure that their voices and concerns are heard and addressed in the public policy. It is not only also crucial for women's access to the legal system . But even a critical input as human resource development and thus essential for the country's economic growth.
The progress and wellbeing of a country largely dependent on the choices of education made available to its people. It can be one of the most powerful instruments of change. It can help a country to achieve its national goals by producing minds imbue with knowledge, skills, and competencies to shape its future destiny. The widespread recognition of this fact has created awareness on the need to focus upon literacy and elementary education programmed, not merely as a matter of social justice but more to foster economic growth, social well-being, and social stability . Women's education is so inextricably linked with the other facets of human development. Women education as a priority can make changes on a range of different fronts, like the woman's status, early childhood care, health, nutrition, water, and sanitation to community empowerment, the reduction of child labor and other forms of exploitation to the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
The female literacy rate clearly shows that investment in human development tends toward favoring men over women. Women, in particular, have limited opportunities to acquire higher education and attain professional and technical degrees. Pakistan has long been an international outlier in gender gaps in education. Education shall be free at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available, and higher education shall be equally accessible to all based on merit." Overall the literacy rate of Pakistan is 57% (69% for males and 45% for females). Literacy remains higher in urban areas (74%) than in rural areas (48%). Literacy rate for men is (69%) and for women is (45%) (Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey (PSLM), 2008-2009). Girls are also deprived of their fundamental educational right. Approximately 76% of the female adult population is illiterate. On the other hand, 75% of female students drop out at the primary level. The gender disparity is flagrant from the fact that 57% of primary school age girls attend school as compared to 89% of boys. Gender Parity Indices for adult literacy rate rose from 0.51 in 2001-02 to 0.58 in 2005-06 and 0.64 in 2007-08. GPI  Everybody has the right to education, which has been recognized since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948. The right to free and compulsory primary education, without discrimination and of good quality, has been reaffirmed in all major international human rights conventions. Many of these same instruments encourage but do not guarantee, post-primary education. These rights have been further elaborated to address issues like quality and equity, moving forward the question of what the right to education means, and exploring how it can be achieved. As a minimum: states must ensure that primary education is available, accessible, acceptable, and adaptable for all. The right of girls to education is one of the most critical of all rightsbecause education plays a vital role in enabling girls and women to secure other rights.

Higher Education
To start with the definition of the term-Higher Education-In fact, there is no simple definition of higher education. The general description of tertiary (post school) education divides it into two parts. Type A (Higher Education) and Type B (Further Education). A higher education qualification at degree level takes a minimum of three years to complete, more typically four. It will have a theoretical underpinning, it will be at a level which would qualify someone to work in a professional field, and it will usually be taught in an environment which also includes advanced research activity. Shortly, Higher education mainly and generally means university-level education. It offers several qualifications ranging from Higher National Diplomas and Foundation Degrees to Honors Degrees, and as a further step, Postgraduate programmed such as Masters Degrees and Doctorates. These are recognized throughout the world as representing specialist expertise supported by a wide range of skills that employers find very useful. Further education generally includes those post-graduate studies in where you can gain your Master and Doctorate degrees.

Sociological Significance
Education is a social institution that sociologists are very interested in studying. This includes teaching formal knowledge such as reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as teaching other things such as morals, values, and ethics. Education prepares young people for entry into society and is thus a form of socialization. Sociologists want to know how this form of socialization affects and are affected by other social structures, experiences, and outcomes.
Education serves many essential functions in society. First, it socializes children and prepares them for life in community, not only done by teaching "book knowledge," but also teaching the society's culture, including moral values, ethics, politics, religious beliefs, habits, and norms. Second, education provides professional training, especially in industrialized societies such as the United States. Unlike in less complicated nations or the United States before 1900 when most jobs and training were passed on from father to son, most posts in the United States today require at least a high school education, and many professions require a college or post-graduate degree. The third function that education serves, according to functionalist theorists, is social control, or the regulation of deviant behavior. By requiring young people to attend school, this keeps them off the streets and out of trouble.
Education focuses on interactions during the schooling process and the outcomes of those interactions. For instance, interactions between students and teachers can create expectations on both parts. The teacher begins to expect certain behaviors from students, which in turn can create that very behavior. This is called the "teacher expectancy effect." For example, if a White teacher expects a black student to perform below average on a math test when compared to White students, over time the teacher may act in ways that encourage the black students to get below average math scores. Hill (1995), concluded that evidence across regions in the world reveals patterns in school enrollment ratios and literacy, which are divided along gender lines. In the developing world, apart from most countries in Latin America and Caribbean, enrollment ratios of girls lag behind boys at all levels of education. Worldwide literacy rates for adult men far surpass than women, while both sexes have enjoyed educational progress. Jehan (1996), concluded that despite the increased women participation in the labor force and education they are still deprived as compared to men due to gender biases. There are three major assumptions: 1) Women still constitute about 2/3 of the world illiterates 2) Women hold fewer than half of the jobs of the labor market and 3) Women are paid half as compared to men for equal work. The author concluded that although the women have attained much in income generation, health status, and decision making but the women are insecure in all societies. Especially the gender gap is visible between intentions and implementations of the results, especially for WID and GAD policies. Alderman and King (1998), concluded that the gender gap in schooling is puzzling given that the expected returns to an individual for increased education as measured by proportional wage increments do not differ by gender. The researcher explores possible explanations for the disparity using a model of parental investment in children education. Jehan (2000), concluded that the importance of women could be judged by finding the relation between women and the economic development of Pakistan. In Pakistan, there exist discrimination and social prejudices based on gender. Uneducated and unskilled women serving mostly as unpaid family helpers remain devoid of their equitable place in the society. Siddique (2001), concluded that during the past fifteen years the ratio of female to the male population has increased, but the efforts to improve the female life quality and their contribution to education and economic development is still low. These findings show that like the other developing countries in South Asia, the status of human resources is low despite the expansion in health and education infrastructure. Access to education and employment has been increased for both males and females, but the unemployment rate for males and females are higher, and the gender gap is reduced. Klasen (2002), concluded that in East Asia, South Asia, Africa, and Middle East countries there always exists a gender gap in the education sector because boys are more preferred to accomplish education than girls. The main reason is that the average level of human capital lowers because gender inequality leads to low investment in education that leads to the unskilled labor force and economic growth.

Literature Review
Abu-Ghaida and Klasen (2004), concluded that at the Millennium Summit, the world community pledged to promote gender equality and choose it as a specific target about the achievement of gender equity in primary and secondary education by the year 2005 in every country of the world. Literature that suggests that gender equity in education promotes economic growth, lessen undernourishment, reduce fertility, and child mortality. As a result, will have 0.1-0.4 more children per woman, and by 2015 and average of 15 per 1,000 deaths takes place which means that higher rates of under-five mortality and 2.5 percentage points higher prevalence of underweight children under five.
Chitrakar (2007), concluded that the barrier of gender discrimination always exists primarily in different geographical regions like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, and also in different socio-linguistic groups. Education helps the girls to make them socially and culturally empowered. But unfortunately, girls are discouraged from pursuing an education that leads to enhanced paying career in their future. Addy (2008), concluded that there are various supply and demand-side factors as barriers to girls education, including rigid cultural patterns, opportunity costs versus lower rate of returns for girls, female-headed households, lack of incentives for girls education, non-fulfillment of Beurocratic promises about gender equality in education sector, safety concerns for girls and lack of female teachers.
Aslam (2009), concluded that differential labor market returns to male and female education are the explanation of the large gender gap of knowledge in Pakistan. Women are more inclined towards education, and most women, education is higher than the education of men. The rate of returns to an additional year of schooling ranges between 7% to 11% for men and 13% to 18% for women. But there is always the discrimination between men and women in terms of treatment, wage, and labor market returns.

Specific Objectives
 To find out academic problems faced by a female student.  To explore cultural barriers, females have to face to get admission in higher education.  To study the role of the economic status of parents in female higher education.  To suggest measures to overcome barriers faced by female students in higher education.

Research Methodology
The methodology is a system of principles and method of organization constructing theoretical and practical activity and also the teaching about the system. The purpose of the research is to discover an answer to questions through the application of scientific procedures. It may or may not find them. There is no guarantee to be sure that any given research undertaking actually will produce relevant, reliable, and unbiased information.

Universe/ Population
The universe/ population of present study females of Bahauddin Zakariya University.

Sampling Technique
The sample is a smaller representation of the whole. The only two basic requirements for a sampling procedure are that firstly it must be representative and secondly it must be adequate. (Goode et al. (1952)). The researcher used the quantitative sampling technique for data collection.

Tools for Data Collection
After drawing the sample and designed the appropriate research technique data collected through Interview schedule as a tool for the data collection process. The researcher filled the interview schedule after taking responses from the respondents. The interview schedule was formulated based on information drawn from the review of literature and knowledge of the indicators. The researcher used Semi-Structured questions for the construction of the interview schedule. The items are about the necessary demographic information of family.  The above Table 2 showed that 38.0 percent of respondents were BS students, and 62.0 percent of respondents were M.sc students. The maximum numbers of respondents, 62.0 percent were M.SC students.  Table 3 showed that 72.7 percent of respondents belonged to nuclear families, and 27.3 percent of respondents belong to joint families. Thus it shows that majority of respondents 72.7 percent belongs to nuclear families. The above Table 4 showed that 42.0 percent of respondents were strongly agreed that the community is aware of the importance of education. 37.3 percent of respondents strongly agreed 9.3 percent of respondents were neutral 4.0 percent of respondents were strongly disagree 7.3 percent of respondents were disagree .the table depicts that a maximum number of respondents strongly agreed that community is aware of the importance of education. In Table 5 it showed that 20.0 percent of respondents strongly agreed that community is aware of the importance of female education, 48.7 percent of respondents agreed, 17.3 percent of respondents were neutral, 5.3 percent of disagree respondents strongly disagreed, 8.7 percent of respondents disagreed. The maximum numbers of respondents agreed that the community is aware of the importance of education.  The above Table 7 shows that 22.7 percent of respondent strongly agreed that parents feel hesitation in sending their daughters in universities, 45.3 percent agreed, 13.3 percent were neutral, 5.3 percent strongly disagreed, and 13.3 percent disagreed. This table depicts that maximum of respondents decided that parents feel hesitation in sending their daughters in universities. In the Table 8, it showed that 20.0 percent of respondents strongly agreed, 48.7 were agreed, 13.3 percent were neutral, 3.3 percent strongly disagreed, and 14.7 percent disagreed. This table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 48.7 percent agreed that parent's get educates their girls for the sake of jobs. 100.0 Table 9 shows that 37.3 percent strongly agreed, 38.7 percent agreed, 17.3 percent were neutral, 1.3 percent strongly disagreed, and 5.3 percent disagreed. This table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 38.7 percent agreed that girls have to face gender problem in the co-education system. The above Table 10 shows that 20.0 percent of respondents strongly agreed, 54.0 percent agreed, 8.7 percent were neutral, 7.3 percent strongly disagreed, and 10.0 percent disagreed. This table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 54.0 percent accepted that in higher education institutions teachers deal with male and female students equally. In Table 11 it shows that 40.7 percent of respondents strongly agreed, 48.0 percent agreed, 6.0 percent were neutral, 3.3 percent strongly disagreed, 2.0 percent disagreed. The maximum number of respondents 48.0 percent were agrees that conservative attitude of family member and community is a significant cause of girl's limited access to education.  Table 12 shows that 28.7 percent of respondents strongly agreed that their parents could afford education expenses easily, 36.0 percent agreed, 18.7 percent were neutral, 6.7 percent strongly disagreed, and 10.0 percent disagreed. The table depicts the maximum number of respondents decided that their parents could afford educational expenses easily. 100.0 Table 13 shows that 32.7 percent of respondents strongly agreed that economic inequality effects female education, 46.0 percent agreed, 11.3 percent were neutral, 6.7 percent strongly disagreed, and 3.3 percent respondents disagreed. This table depicts that the maximum number of respondents agreed that economic inequality effect female education. The above Table 14 shows that 21.3 percent of respondents strongly agreed that government expenditure is sufficient for higher education, 46.0 percent agreed, 14.0 percent were neutral, 8.0 percent strongly disagreed, and 10.7 percent disagreed. The above table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 46.0 percent agreed that government expenditure is sufficient for higher education. 100.0 Table 15 shows that 26.0 percent respondents strongly agreed that hostel facility is provided according to requirements of female students, 43.3 percent agreed, 12.7 percent were neutral, 8.7 percent strongly disagreed, and 9.3 percent disagreed. The table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 43.3 percent agreed that the transport facility is provided according to the requirements of a female student. The above Table 16 shows that 24.7 percent of respondents strongly agreed that facility of schooling is available near their homes, 50.7 percent agreed, 12.7 percent were neutral, 6.7 percent strongly disagreed, 5.3 percent disagreed. This table depicts that the maximum number of respondents, 50.7 percent of respondents agreed that the facility of schooling is available near their homes. This Table 17 shows that 24.0 percent of respondents agreed that nowadays courses are being taught according to requirements of a new era, 38.0 percent agreed, 16.7 percent strongly disagreed, and 11.3 percent disagreed. This table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 38.0 percent agreed that courses are being taught according to requirements of the new era.   Table 19 shows that 31.3 percent of respondents strongly agreed that their parents prefer girls education, 48.7 percent agreed, 4.7 percent were neutral, 6.0 percent strongly disagreed, and 9.3 percent disagreed. This table depicts that maximum numbers of respondents, 48.7 percent agreed that their parents prefer girl's education. The above Table 20 shows that 30.0 percent of respondents strongly agreed that rigid cultural beliefs and practices are the primary barriers that cause low enrollment rate of female education, 48.0 percent agreed, 14.7 percent were neutral, 2.7 percent strongly disagreed, and 4.0 percent disagreed. This table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 48.0 percent agreed that rigid cultural beliefs and practices are the significant barriers that cause low enrollment rate of female education. The above Table 21 shows that 31.3 percent of respondents strongly agreed, 54.0 percent agreed, 10.0 were neutral, 2.0 percent strongly disagreed, and 2.7 percent disagreed. This table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 54.0 percent agreed that lack of awareness is the primary cause due to which both parents and children do not realize the importance of education.   Table 23 shows that 34.0 percent of respondents strongly agreed, 48.7 percent agreed, 7.3 percent were neutral, 3.3 percent strongly disagreed, and 6.7 percent disagreed. This table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 48.0 percent agreed that value expectation with girls is the hurdle in limiting the access of girls education. The above Table 24 shows that 26.0 percent of respondents strongly agreed, 48.7 percent agreed, 18.7 percent were neutral, 6.0 percent strongly agreed, 48.7 percent agreed, 18.7 percent were neutral, 6.0 percent strongly disagreed, and 7 percent disagreed. This table depicts that a maximum number of respondents, 48.7 percent agreed that the patriarchal structure of society is the primary cause of the low literacy rate of females.

Hypothesis Testing
Parents feel hesitation in sending their daughters for higher education due to cultural beliefs.

Null hypothesis
There is no relationship between parents feels hesitation in sending their daughters in universities. * Rigid cultural beliefs and practices are the significant barriers that cause low enrollment rate of female education.

Alternate hypothesis
There is a relationship between parents feels hesitation in sending their daughters in universities. * Rigid cultural beliefs and practices is the primary barrier that causes low enrollment rate of female education.
The overall analysis of the data by a quantitative method

Key Finding
1. The maximum numbers of the respondents (98 %) were 20-25 of the age group. 2. The maximum numbers of the respondents (93%) were M.sc students.
3. The majority of the respondents (72.7 %) belong to nuclear families. 4. A maximum number of respondents (42.0%) said that that community is aware of the importance of education.

Suggestions
 To remove cultural barriers faced by females in acquiring higher education.  Allocation of funds should be made accessible from province to districts & then to higher educational institutions.  Education is the only cure of the disability in the state can bring revolution through evolution, by eradicating the social restrictions faced by the female.  Conservative attitude of family and community may be improved through media awareness.  Socioeconomic status of parents should be upgraded through government policies.

Summary and Conclusion
Education is becoming the optimal demand for income determination and growth. Education is a prerequisite for the development of any country. Education plays an essential role in enhancing the human abilities. Education produces skilled labor force as well as sustainable development. Education serves to strengthen the social and moral values of every individual. Investment on human capital not only improves individual growth but the development of the whole nation. The essential investment in human capital is education. The result also shows that various factors are responsible for the social exclusion of girls from the education sector of Pakistan. These factors include the conservative attitude of family and preference to boy's education. The researcher examined that conservative opinion of the family and community is the major determinant of low enrollment rate of girls. In addition to this, the result of the research depicts that low parental education results in a flat enrollment rate of Pakistan.
The researcher focused on the importance of higher education. Higher education is defined as; education beyond higher secondary school, precisely that provided by colleges and graduate schools, and professional schools. Higher education can also be achieved through vocational and technical schools.
The study was conducted at Bahauddin Zakariya University because different rural Areas surrounded it. The population of the present study consisted of the female students studying in BS (Hons) program and M.Sc. students of the university.
Female students also faced perceptions of their families about coeducation as a cultural barrier to higher education. The theme related to this category was "perceived fears and threats to family honor.