ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s education ministry on Monday informed National Assembly that 26.2 million children aged 5 to 16 currently out of school. This represents a staggering 36% of the country’s school-age population.
The report highlights that children aged 5 to 9 are particularly at risk. Of the 10.8 million children in this age group, 51% have never attended school. Among these, 4.97 million are boys and 5.8 million are girls, reflecting a significant educational gap.
The situation extends beyond the youngest age group. For children aged 10 to 12, 4.9 million are missing out on middle school education, including 2.1 million boys and 2.8 million girls. At the high school level, 4.5 million students are absent, comprising 2.3 million boys and 2.2 million girls. Additionally, 5.9 million higher secondary students are not in school, with 3 million boys and nearly 3 million girls affected.
According to the report, “The Missing Third of Pakistan,” the country is home to 71 million children aged five to 16, with 36%—about 25.3 million—currently not attending school. Among these out-of-school children, 53% are girls and 47% are boys.
In response to this crisis, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared a national education emergency. The Prime Minister has called for immediate collaboration from the private sector and civil organizations to address the issue. “With unwavering resolve and provincial support, we will tackle the challenge of 26 million out-of-school children. We will bring them back to school and declare an Education Emergency across Pakistan,” Sharif stated during the National Conference on Education Emergency in May.
The urgency of the situation is underscored by UNESCO’s recent findings, which reveal that three out of four children in developing countries are unable to read or understand a basic text by age 10. Globally, 754 million adults are illiterate, with two-thirds of them being women.
Prime Minister Sharif has committed to enrolling around 26 million out-of-school children and enhancing literacy efforts nationwide. His pledge aims to address the severe educational deficits and provide opportunities for all children to access quality education.
As Pakistan confronts this daunting challenge, the call for concerted action and collaboration has never been more critical.
