Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous and economically pivotal province, remains mired in an education crisis despite being under the governance of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for much of the last 30 years. With the latest term beginning in February 2024 under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif — the first woman to hold the office — the party continues to fall short in prioritising education. Despite repeated claims of reform, the province has failed to significantly boost literacy rates or bring millions of out-of-school children into classrooms.

Punjab’s prominence in Pakistan is indisputable. With a population of 127.688 million, the province alone accounts for over half of the country’s total population, according to the 2023 digital census. Of this, 65.448 million are males, 62.226 million females, and nearly 14,000 are transgender individuals. It is the most industrialised province, contributing substantially to the national GDP, and maintains the lowest poverty rate in the country. Politically, it dominates federal representation with 173 National Assembly seats and 23 in the Senate.

However, these demographic and economic strengths contrast starkly with Punjab’s educational outcomes. The literacy rate stands at 66.3% — the highest among Pakistan’s provinces, but still alarmingly low for such a well-resourced region. Gender disparity is pronounced: 74.2% of men are literate compared to just 58.4% of women. Literacy rates in districts such as Rawalpindi (83.22%) and Lahore (79.62%) offer glimmers of hope, yet rural areas, especially for women, remain underserved.

Equally troubling is the number of children who remain out of the school system altogether. Of Punjab’s nearly 24 million school-aged children, only 11.97 million are enrolled — 5.89 million boys and 6.08 million girls — leaving approximately 11.73 million out of school. This is despite the presence of 48,473 schools, including 22,935 boys’ schools and 25,538 girls’ schools.

The human resource gap further exacerbates the crisis. While the province employs around 390,782 teachers across 52,035 schools, an estimated 70,000 teaching positions remain vacant. The imbalance in student-teacher ratios reflects this: primary schools face a ratio of 39:1, whereas secondary schools report a more manageable 11.2:1. These figures point to an urgent need for recruitment and equitable distribution of staff.

Infrastructure is another area of chronic neglect. Basic facilities are missing in thousands of schools. About 35% of public schools lack playgrounds — rising to 52% in girls’ high and higher secondary schools. Electricity is not available in 10,560 schools, and 2,370 are without drinking water. Sanitation is inadequate, with 3,634 schools lacking toilets. A further 5,761 institutions operate without boundary walls, compromising student safety. Moreover, science labs and libraries are scarce, severely restricting access to practical learning.

The government has acknowledged these issues, and in 2024, the School Education Department ordered all district authorities to compile detailed reports on missing facilities, including cost estimates. While a necessary step, it is widely viewed as a reactive approach to a long-standing crisis.

Financially, Punjab has seen significant increases in education budgets over the years. In 2008, Rs62 billion were allocated to school education. This figure rose to Rs315 billion in 2016–17, and Rs345 billion in 2017–18, with Rs74.1 billion earmarked for development projects. Under the caretaker setup in 2023–24, Rs195 billion were allocated for a four-month period. The 2024–25 budget soared to Rs669.74 billion, including Rs604.24 billion for current expenditures and Rs65.5 billion for development.

Yet, the growing budgets have not translated into proportional improvements on the ground. Education remains under-prioritised in practical terms, and structural reforms remain elusive.

Since the 1990s, the PML-N has governed Punjab for approximately 20 of the past 30 years: 1990–1993: Chief Minister Ghulam Haider Wyne; 1997–1999: First tenure of Shehbaz Sharif; 2008–2013 & 2013–2018: Shehbaz Sharif’s return to power post-Musharraf era; 2022–2023: Brief tenure of Hamza Shehbaz Sharif; Since 2024: Maryam Nawaz currently leads the province.

Despite the longevity of the PML-N rule and billions spent on education, the gap between potential and performance remains vast. Without structural reforms, effective governance, and a genuine commitment to prioritising education, Punjab’s schoolchildren may continue to suffer the consequences of political complacency.