Startling revelations from the Pakistan Education Statistics Report for the academic year 2021/22 have laid bare the critical state of education accessibility in the country.
The preliminary findings, released here, expose the daunting reality that a staggering 26.2 million children across Pakistan are currently out of school.
Punjab leads the distressing statistics with 11.73 million children deprived of education, followed by Sindh with 7.63 million, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) with 3.63 million, Balochistan with 3.13 million, and the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) reporting 0.08 million out-of-school students.
The overall figures reveal that a concerning 39 per cent of children in the school-going age group are currently out of school, underscoring a persistent challenge in achieving universal education.
Balochistan stands out with the highest percentage, where a staggering 65 per cent of children are out of school, while the ICT reports the lowest percentage.
Among the major provinces, KPK fares relatively better with a 30% out-of-school rate.
Despite a slight improvement from 44 per cent in 2016-17 to 39 per cent in 2021-22 in the percentage of out-of-school children, 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.
Of particular concern is the situation at the higher secondary level, where a disconcerting 60 per cent of children are out of school in the current academic year.
Further analysis reveals 44 per cent, 30 per cent, and 36 per cent out-of-school rates at high, middle, and primary levels, respectively.
A deep dive into the statistics highlights that a substantial portion of the out-of-school children, totaling 10.77 million, is at the primary level, emphasizing 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.
