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ducated youth are the backbone of any country’s development and growth. Unfortunately, Pakistan’s education sector presents a bleak scenario. According to UNICEF, Pakistan currently has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children (OOSC), with an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5-16 not attending school, representing 44 per cent of the total population in this age group. This alarming situation calls for urgent attention from policy decision-makers and stakeholders. To rectify the issue, it is crucial to understand the root causes that prevent children, particularly from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, from receiving an education. UNICEF data reveals that after primary-school age, the number of OOSC doubles, with 11.4 million adolescents between the ages of 10-14 not receiving formal education. Pakistan faces a twofold problem: five million children are not enrolled in primary schools and those who receive primary education often do not continue their studies.
Pakistan is also grappling with an economic crisis, making it increasingly difficult for parents to afford their children’s education. Additionally, rapid population growth exacerbates the financial strain on families for survival, forcing many to prioritise other necessities over schooling. Reports indicate that a staggering 51 per cent of children from the poorest quintile are not attending primary school. This trend continues in middle education, with 55 per cent OOSC in the same economic bracket. The disparity is even more pronounced at higher education levels, where the poorest quintile accounts for 75 per cent of the OOSC. This growing number of out-of-school children is also linked to the rampant issue of child labour, with approximately 3.3 million Pakistani children engaged in labour. For many low-income families, more children mean more potential income sources, leading to their enrollment in labour-intensive jobs such as factories, domestic work, and brick kilns rather than schools.
Many parents fail to register their children at birth due to a lack of awareness and the perceived complexity of the registration process. In Pakistan, only 34 per cent of children under five are registered at birth, preventing others from appearing in official records and ultimately barring them from accessing formal education. Weak child protection policies further contribute to the growing number of OOSC.
Another pressing issue is gender disparity in education. In numerous households, sons receive priority in schooling. Daughters are often taken out of school due to societal perceptions. Many parents believe that male children will provide financial support in old age, whereas daughters, destined for marriage, are seen as less worthy of investment in education. Consequently, many girls are removed from school after primary education to either be married off or work as domestic helpers to contribute to household expenses. Reports show that almost a quarter of women aged 20-49 were married before age 15, and 31 per cent before age 18. Such practices significantly hinder female education and contribute to the overall increase in OOSC.
Addressing the crisis of out-of-school children in Pakistan requires a multi-faceted approach, combining economic relief measures, awareness campaigns, improved educational infrastructure and stricter policy enforcement.
The unavailability of educational facilities further exacerbates the crisis. Many communities remain unaware of nearby government schools that offer free or affordable education. In some cases, no such schools exist and where they do, insufficient government funding leads to inadequate resources and substandard teaching. Experts note that gaps in service provision at all educational levels pose major constraints on access to education. Socio-cultural and economic barriers, combined with supply-related issues such as the lack of school facilities, continue to hinder access and retention, particularly for marginalised groups like adolescent girls.
To address these challenges, the government must make and implement policies that remove barriers that can prevent children from accessing education. School enrollment campaigns should be conducted in areas with critically low enrollment rates to raise awareness among parents about the importance of education for both boys and girls.
On another level, strict enforcement of child labour laws is necessary to prevent children from being forced into work instead of attending school. Additionally, the government should employ local workers in remote areas to ensure the registration of newborns, protecting them under child labour laws. A collaborative effort between UNICEF, the Government of Pakistan and Telenor has already introduced birth registration initiatives in certain remote areas of Sindh. However, this initiative should be expanded to other provinces. Under this project, local workers—who are more familiar with the community—register children using Android-based digital devices, uploading birth records to the government’s database in real time.
Moreover, initiatives should be introduced to incentivise parents to send their children to school. Scholarship programmes for OOSC should be established, particularly for girls who have discontinued their education. The government should also focus on early school admissions, laying a strong foundation for students from an early age. UNICEF’s report highlights that investment in quality early learning and pre-primary education significantly improves primary school enrollment, retention and overall learning outcomes while remaining cost-effective.
Addressing the crisis of out-of-school children in Pakistan requires a multi-faceted approach, combining economic relief measures, awareness campaigns, improved educational infrastructure and stricter policy enforcement. Only through a concerted effort by the government and stakeholders can Pakistan hope to reverse this alarming trend and secure a brighter future for its youth.
The writer is associated with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute. The views expressed by her do not necessarily reflect SDPI’s official stance.