Pakistan's education emergency falters as more than 25 million children remain out of school
Lahore, July 7
More than 25 million school-age children in Pakistan remain outside the education system despite the government's declaration of a National Education Emergency over two years ago, exposing serious failures in policy implementation and governance, as reported by Geo News.
According to Geo News, a policy review prepared by the Civil Services Academy (CSA) concludes that Pakistan's education crisis is no longer driven by a lack of planning but by poor execution, weak institutions, inadequate funding, fragmented administration and ineffective coordination between federal and provincial authorities.
The report estimates that between 25.1 million and 26 million children are currently out of school, making Pakistan home to the world's second-largest out-of-school population. While provinces have developed education roadmaps under the National Education Action Plan 2026, the review says these commitments have largely failed to translate into meaningful progress due to governance failures and widening implementation gaps.
Punjab has the highest number of out-of-school children, with over nine million affected, while Sindh faces severe dropout rates because of a shortage of middle and secondary schools. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to struggle with security challenges, inaccessible terrain and a lack of female teachers, particularly in remote districts. Balochistan remains the worst-affected province, with thousands of non-functional schools and widespread shortages of electricity, sanitation and basic infrastructure.
The CSA report argues that decades of low investment, rapid population growth, poverty and child labour have steadily pushed millions of children out of classrooms. It also highlights weak data systems, saying the absence of a unified national student database has prevented authorities from accurately tracking enrolment and dropouts, as cited by Geo News.
The review recommends creating a nationwide student registry linked to Nadra records, expanding double-shift schools, improving non-formal education, increasing incentives for female teachers in underserved areas and introducing performance-based education funding. Education experts cited in the report blamed successive governments for repeatedly announcing education emergencies without backing them with sufficient resources, as reported by Geo News.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a regional tragedy. Pakistan has one of the world's fastest-growing populations, and without education, millions will remain trapped in poverty. India also faces challenges, especially in rural areas, but we've made real progress with initiatives like the Right to Education Act and mid-day meals. Pakistan needs a similar focused approach.
The situation in Balochistan sounds terrible—thousands of non-functional schools with no electricity or sanitation. How can children learn in such conditions? Pakistan needs to focus on basic infrastructure first. India's experience with Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan shows that community involvement and local monitoring can make a difference.
As someone from the West, I'm shocked to realize that Pakistan has the second-largest out-of-school population in the world. This isn't just Pakistan's problem—it's a global issue. International organizations should step in and help. Though I must admit, India's example of leveraging technology for education (like DIKSHA platform) could be a game-changer for Pakistan too.
The report rightly points out that the problem is not planning but execution. I've seen similar issues in some Indian states, but at least our federal system has the NITI Aayog pushing for accountability. Pakistan's fragmented administration between provinces seems to be a major hurdle. They need a unified national database like Aadhaar-linked education tracking.
25 million children... that's the entire population of some countries! I hope this gets the world's attention. But I also wonder—why hasn't the international media focused on this more? India has done a commendable job increasing literacy rates, even in challenging regions like
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