Girls vs. Boys: Education in Peshawar
Written by Zareen Jan
Edited by Lorenzo Rave
In the city of Peshawar, Pakistan, the living conditions of many families are less than ideal. Around 40% of Peshawar's population lives in poverty, which results in many struggles in their lives. Some parents are not always able to afford sending all their children to school, so when the topic of education is addressed, boys get prioritized. Culturally boys/men are put first in their families, which means that any opportunity to go to school is usually given to them, whether they are the oldest or the youngest in their families.
There are many reasons why the boys are given the upper hand. One of the main reasons is that many people in Pakistan believe that it is a man’s responsibility to be able to take care of his wife and children financially, and this starts by being able to get a proper education. Alongside this belief, the Pakistani society also believes that it is a woman's job to take care of the house and raise the children. This results in women's education not being prioritized or "needed," as our society believes that a woman does not need an education to be able to do “her job"; therefore, her brothers should be given the opportunity to go to school. Another important reason for the boys to have preference over the girls is because they carry the family name. No family wishes for their family line to end, so they have children just for the sake of having a son to keep their name alive. These beliefs are present all throughout Pakistani society and influence the majority of the population's decisions and actions.
Some of the more “modern” families in Peshawar recognize the importance of a woman's education. They feel that since a mother is very important in the upbringing of her children, she should be educated enough to teach them proper values and skills. A mother helps raise and shape the new generation into adults that could change the world. Therefore, educating women is not only a benefit to families but also to society and the economy. Society benefits because the educated mothers can educate stronger families and teach their children many skills and morals that they can use throughout the rest of their lives. The economy benefits because there will be more working citizens, as with a proper education, women have a higher chance at getting jobs. Of course these jobs should be paying them salaries, and with both parents being able to work and earning an income, there should be some change in the amount of poverty in Peshawar. I feel that there is more logic in this point of view than the prior opinions stated, mostly because women are a very integral part of society. Even the people with old-fashioned ways of thinking believe that a woman’s responsibility is their children, so wouldn't having a well-educated mother benefit the children and the family more, rather than an uneducated one?
Without being able to get a proper education, women in Peshawar are then forced to rely on other people. They are usually involved in early marriages and have to depend on their husbands for help with finances, as without proper education they aren't even able to get jobs of their own. This slows the rate of the economy's growth, which is not only unfortunate for those girls but for the city and country as well. Most women end up not even having any money for themselves should anything happen to their husbands or fathers.
Personally, I feel women should be allowed access to an education. Not only that but it should be mandatory for them to finish their education properly. It's not right to differentiate between men and women, knowing they each have their own unique skills that they can offer to the world. Each being is different and cannot be placed into just one category; everyone has something new to offer and should be given the chance to explore their abilities. That is what school can do for people; they teach you things, but it also gives you a chance to look into yourself and your own interests and figure out your own purpose in this world. As mentioned before, women being educated helps the world as a whole. Peshawar is just a small part of the world, but educating the women there is a small step in the advancing of women's education everywhere. Which comes to the bigger picture of the world's advancement. If women are given the opportunity to get a full education, the society and the economy in Peshawar will benefit greatly.
Citations
Ibrahim, Arooba. “Nearly 5 Million Children out of School in KP, Reveals Report.” Geo News, 6 May 2025, www.geo.tv/latest/603352-nearly-5-million-children-out-of-school-in-kp-reveals-report.
The Importance of Women’s Education: A Key to Progress, habib.edu.pk/blog/the-importance-of-women-s-education-for-a-better-future/. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.
Adabala, Srihita. 5 Consequences of Not Having Access to Education - The Borgen Project, borgenproject.org/5-consequences-of-not-having-access-to-education/. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.
https://www.geo.tv/latest/603352-nearly-5-million-children-out-of-school-in-kp-reveals-report
https://habib.edu.pk/blog/the-importance-of-women-s-education-for-a-better-future/
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