Abstract

Children's involvement in work has the potential to affect their school attendance across the globe. The present research is particularly focusing on differences in male and female children’s school dropout due to involvement in unpaid family work in Sindh, Pakistan. This is a cross-sectional research done with a one-time collection of data from 5641 school dropout children in Sindh during the year 2018-19. The statistical analysis of quantitative data is done by applying the Independent Samples t-test. The survey of school dropout children in Sindh is done with the help of a closed-ended questionnaire. The data was collected to assess school dropout children's responses to their involvement in unpaid work in the family as a cause of their dropout from school. The study found that 15.9% of students agreed to have left school due to domestic chores. Almost the same proportion (15%) left due to younger siblings' related childcare responsibilities, and 20.9% left the school due to working in the family field or with domestic cattle. The t-test results show a significant difference in male and female children leaving school due to unpaid work in the family. It is inferred that more girls leave school due to their involvement in unpaid work in the family as compared to boys in Sindh. The results of the study will inform effective educational policy development in Sindh.