By Kadija Gul, Senior Research Assistant at the Aga Khan University Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED) and Sajid Ali, the Amir Sultan Chinoy Professor and Director of Research at Aga Khan University,
In Pakistan much of the educational discourse continues to revolve around the millions of children who never make it to school. However, what about those who are officially enrolled but still missing from the classroom? This blog takes a closer look at this concern, reflecting the findings we compiled after extensive field visits to schools across Sindh province, interviewing headteachers as part of a large-scale research study sponsored by the Data and Research in Education – Research Consortium.
Seasonal child labour
“In this season, children get the seasonal opportunity to work in the fields so they can earn a few hundred rupees on a daily basis.” (Headteacher1)
According to school heads, one of the most prominent reasons for children’s regular absence is that they often work as seasonal labourers in farms, especially during the planting and harvesting seasons. One official child labour survey estimates that over half of children aged 5 to 17 work in agriculture, forestry and fishing in Sindh province. These children remain absent from the classrooms for weeks and months, often pushed into child labour due to their poor circumstances. They miss out on classroom activities and are sometimes even dismissed due to low annual attendance. Many other developing countries face similar challenges.
Family movements
“Working parents move to cities for work opportunities, taking their children with them, which also affects students’ education. Spending weeks away from school causes their learning loss and a few never come back to school as they permanently migrate with their families.” (Headteacher 2)
Another explanation for children’s absences is family relocation or migration for seasonal work, financial gain or in emergencies. The Assessment Capacities Project reports that floods in Pakistan displaced around 3.5 million people, while in Sindh more than 140,000 people were displaced following major flooding in August 2024. In South Asia, seasonal and temporary migration is becoming more common than permanent migration due to economic vulnerabilities and urbanization. The pull by cities triggers these migratory patterns, promising higher economic prospects combined with low prospects in rural areas. In Pakistan, over 8.5 million people have migrated within regions. While moving for work may help sustain livelihoods, or is unavoidable when related to disasters, it unintentionally disrupts children’s education.
Traditional gender roles and responsibilities
“Girls are expected to look after their younger siblings and perform domestic chores, especially during the harvesting season which forces them to stay at home.”(Headteacher 2)
Girls’ education and school dropout continue to be major global concerns. The GEM Report and UIS estimate that 133 million females do not attend primary, lower secondary or upper secondary education. In the Sindh province, girls are often absent due to domestic responsibilities and looking after younger siblings. These traditional gender roles co-exist with multiple socio-cultural barriers such as early marriage conservative norms and safety or distance from school concerns that exclude girls even when schools exist. Absenteeism due to socio-cultural barriers eventually limits girls’ progression and becomes a reason for their dropping out and not transitioning to secondary grades.
Overlapping madrasa timings with schools
“Children prefer going to madrasa during school hours and spend time there. We have requested religious leaders for change in madrasa hours so children can attend both madrasa and School.” (Headteacher 3)
School heads mentioned the preferences of children to attend madrasas during school term, something that other studies confirm. In many Muslim majority countries, there is a debate on integrating school and madrasa education. For instance, research has looked at countries that have tested collaborative approaches, such as in Indonesia and Malaysia, showing how they can foster critical thinking, interfaith harmony, civic duty and economic empowerment while bridging the gap between Islamic beliefs and modern educational expectations.
Conclusion
Despite growing concern for out-of-school children, the issue of absenteeism among enrolled students, which the 2026 GEM Report warns is a precursor to eventual dropout, receives less attention. Understanding how these factors affect children’s classroom participation and academic performance is essential. In this context, the Sindh Government’s Student Attendance Monitoring and Redress System (SAMRS) represents a progressive initiative to monitor and address these issues effectively. The regular absence of enrolled children seems to be prevalent in many developing countries. Learning from Sindh’s early warning system offers a good way forward.
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