Pakistan faces a daunting education crisis, with 25.3 million children aged 5 to 16 currently out of school, representing 36% of the country’s school-age population. A recent report sheds light on the scope of this issue, revealing stark disparities in educational access, particularly in rural areas.

The report emphasizes the need for targeted interventions and systemic reforms to ensure equal educational opportunities across the country. As Pakistan grapples with the social and economic implications of these alarming statistics, the situation in Balochistan further underscores the depth of the problem, with thousands of schools non-functional due to a critical shortage of teachers.

A staggering 25.3 million children aged 5 to 16 in Pakistan are currently out of school, accounting for 36% of the country’s school-age population. These alarming statistics are highlighted in a report titled “The Missing Third of Pakistan”, released by the Pak Alliance for Maths and Science (PAMS). This report provides the first comprehensive analysis of out-of-school children (OOSC) at the tehsil level, using data from the 2023 Population Census.

The findings paint a bleak picture of Pakistan’s education system, with 74% of these out-of-school children residing in rural areas. Efforts to increase enrollment in these regions face significant challenges, including limited access to schools, poverty, and social barriers. The rural-urban divide in education is widening, with 18.8 million out-of-school children living in rural areas alone.

Children aged 5 to 9 are particularly vulnerable, with 51% of this age group never having enrolled in school. Even more concerning is that over half of these children have dropped out or are no longer attending school. These early educational setbacks are likely to have long-lasting consequences on literacy rates, as foundational skills are typically acquired during these years.

Enrollment delays are a major issue, particularly in rural areas, where economic pressures and a lack of infrastructure prevent many children from entering the classroom.

Gender disparity further exacerbates the crisis. The report reveals that 53% of the out-of-school population are girls, with the issue being especially severe in rural areas where female literacy rates are already low. In some tehsils, over 80% of girls aged 5 to 16 have never attended school, reflecting deep-rooted gender inequality in access to education.

This educational gap between boys and girls is widening, driven by cultural and socio-economic factors that often prevent girls from pursuing education.

Even urban centers, which typically offer better educational resources, are not exempt from the problem. Cities like Karachi and Lahore, despite being provincial capitals, still have significant numbers of out-of-school children. Karachi alone has nearly 1.8 million children not enrolled in school, emphasizing the gravity of the crisis.

The report highlights the urgent need for a data-driven approach to address Pakistan’s severe educational deficits. It calls for targeted interventions, particularly in tehsils with the highest concentrations of out-of-school children, to bridge the gap between rural and urban educational opportunities.

The report also stresses the importance of collaboration between federal and provincial governments to address these disparities, urging them to prioritize the development of infrastructure that can accommodate increased enrollment. Experts warn that without immediate action, the situation could deteriorate further, endangering Pakistan’s future workforce and economic progress.

The foundational gaps caused by the absence of early education will make it increasingly difficult for children to catch up, leading to lower literacy rates and reduced social mobility. The report serves as a rallying cry for policymakers, educators, and civil society to devise solutions to this growing crisis. Ensuring equal access to education, particularly for rural populations and girls, must be treated as a national priority.

Meanwhile, the education crisis in Balochistan adds another layer to the nationwide problem. Over 3,500 schools in the province are currently non-functional due to a severe shortage of teachers, according to a disclosure from the provincial education department. Since the new government took power in February, 542 additional schools have been closed, bringing the total number of non-functional schools to 3,694 across all 35 districts.

These closures highlight the dire state of the province’s education system. Pishin, Khuzdar, Kalat, Qila Saifullah, Barkhan, Awaran, and Quetta are among the districts most affected by school closures, with Pishin alone having 254 non-functional schools. In Dera Bugti, the hometown of Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti, 13 schools remain closed due to a lack of academic staff.

The province faces a shortage of around 16,000 teachers. While the government has initiated efforts to address this by recruiting 9,496 new teachers, the scale of the challenge remains vast. In Pishin alone, 168 boys’ and 86 girls’ schools are non-functional, while in Quetta, 88 boys’ and 64 girls’ schools are closed. The education crisis in Balochistan underscores the need for immediate, comprehensive reforms to ensure that all children have access to quality education.

The education crisis in Pakistan demands urgent and collaborative action from all levels of government, policymakers, and civil society. The report is a sobering reminder of the significant challenges the country faces, particularly in rural areas and among girls. Without immediate interventions and structural reforms, the gap in educational access will continue to widen, jeopardizing the future workforce and Pakistan’s economic development. Addressing teacher shortages, especially in provinces like Balochistan, and ensuring the right to education for every child must become national priorities if Pakistan is to reverse the downward trajectory of its education system.