Pakistan's out-of-school children figures clock in at 26 million

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is grappling with the out-of-school children crisis, witnessing an alarming rise from 22.02 million to 26.21 million, the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE) stated in its fresh analysis report.

The critical state of education accessibility in the country was highlighted in the preliminary teaser and detailed insights will be unveiled on Monday.

The PIE's Pakistan Education Statistics Report 2021-22 made staggering revelations regarding the number of out-of-school children.

As of 2021-22, there are a concerning 26.2 million out-of-school children across Pakistan, it read.

The breakdown by provinces is as follows:

Disturbingly, 39% of children in the school-going age group are currently out of school, indicating a persistent challenge in ensuring universal education.

Balochistan stands out with the highest percentage, where a staggering 65% of children are out of school, while ICT reports the lowest percentage. In comparison among the major provinces, KP fares better with a 30% out-of-school rate.

Despite a decrease in the percentage of out-of-school children from 44% in 2016-17 to 39% in 2021-22, the absolute number has surged from 22.02 million to 26.21 million during the same period.

This increase is primarily attributed to the population growth rate outpacing the decrease in out-of-school children.

At the higher secondary level, a disconcerting 60% of children are out of school in 2021-22. Further analysis reveals 44%, 30%, and 36% out-of-school rates at high, middle, and primary levels respectively.

A substantial portion of the out-of-school children, totaling 10.77 million, is at the primary level, emphasising the urgent need for targeted interventions.

Economic disparities play a significant role in educational access, with children from the poorest quintile facing the highest disadvantage, evident across all education levels.

Detailed insights into economic disparities and additional statistics will be unveiled during a comprehensive release scheduled for Monday in PIE Islamabad.