"Impact of 2022 flood on girls' education: A case study of District Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan”

Abstract

Natural hazards, such as floods, significantly impact education systems. They can disrupt schooling, destroy infrastructure, and displace students and teachers. This study aimed to analyze how the severe floods of 2022 impacted girls’ education in District Nowshera of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. A mixed-methods approach was used for this study including a questionnaire survey to collect quantitative and qualitative data with the help of a questionnaire survey, two focus group discussions, seven semi-structured and in-depth interviews, and personal observations. The results revealed that two girls' schools were destroyed.

In contrast, most of the schools in the selected villages were partially damaged, including damage to parts of the school building, classrooms, furniture, washrooms, or other facilities. Floods also disrupted academic activities due to school closures varying from 5 days to 2 months. The majority of female students encountered challenges such as inadequate uniforms, bags, and stationery, as well as insufficient access to clean drinking water and proper washrooms in schools. Most of the girls also reported mental health issues after the floods such as anxiety, depression, and fear and there were dropouts of girls in some areas as well. As of 2024, the reconstruction of most of the destroyed parts of schools was still not complete. In most areas, the local people worked on a self-help basis to restore educational activities, while the government and NGOs also helped in the recovery process. Teachers motivated the students to return to school after the flood and provided them with their basic needs.