Attiya Munawer<\/p>\n
Education in Pakistan is always considered the foundation of national development, economic stability, and social prosperity, but the ground realities seem to negate such a claim. According to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) 2026 Report, if more than 25 million children between the ages of 5 and 16 are out of school (OOSC) in Pakistan, it is not just a problem for the education sector but also a matter of national security, economic future, and social stability. The Civil Services Academy Comprehensive Policy Review Report has once again highlighted the bitter reality that, despite the passage of more than two years since the declaration of a National Education Emergency, Pakistan has not been able to overcome its biggest education crisis. This report has made it clear that the problem is not about making new policies but about the effective, transparent, and continuous implementation of existing policies.
\nArticle 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan grants every child the right to free and compulsory education, but there is a large gap between the constitutional guarantee and the practical situation, which is why Pakistan is among those countries in the world where the number of out-of-school children (OOSC) is alarmingly high. This is not just a numerical problem, but a crisis related to the dreams of millions of families, the future of children, and the human development prospects of the country. The out-of-school children crisis is becoming increasingly urgent to address through the National Education Action Plan (NEAP) 2026.
\nThe Civil Services Academy comparative policy review, UNICEF assessments, and Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE) data collectively indicate that, over the past several decades, inadequate public financing, a disjointed education system, weak governance structures, poor accountability, and a growing population have combined to transform this crisis into a complex challenge. Governments change, policies are enacted, committees are formed, and plans are drafted, yet the results have not been what the nation hoped for. This proves that Pakistan\u2019s true crisis lies not in policy-making, but in implementation, accountability, and institutional capacity. Expecting positive change without addressing these fundamental flaws would be tantamount to self-deception.
\nAlthough all provinces have prepared their educational roadmaps under the National Education Action Plan (NEAP) 2026, the obstacles contributing to educational disparity vary across provinces. The biggest problem in Punjab is the huge number of out-of-school children (OOSC). With approximately 10.4 million out-of-school children (OOSC), a campaign for new enrolments will not be enough. Effective measures will also be required to prevent children from dropping out prematurely. This is why 6.4 million children in Punjab have never gone to school, and 3.16 million children have dropped out after enrolment. The situation in each province of the country is completely different from the others. The educational disparity in Sindh province reflects a different kind of structural crisis. Here, the dropout of children after primary education, weak infrastructure, and the effects of climate change or disasters such as the floods of 2022\u20132025 have caused severe damage to the education sector, wiping out nearly half of the public schools in Sindh province. On the other hand, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the law and order situation, harsh geography, and lack of female teachers have become major obstacles to promoting education, while Balochistan\u2019s vast geographical area, weak administrative structure, dysfunctional schools, and lack of basic facilities further complicate the crisis. The above facts make it obvious that adopting a single educational strategy for the entire country cannot prove effective; rather, policy-making tailored to the conditions and needs of each province is inevitable, which is currently not being done.
\nApparently, a major reason for the education crisis has been the lack of financial resources. In Pakistan, government spending on education as a proportion of the gross national product is lower than in many neighbouring countries. Most of the provincial education budgets are spent on salaries and administrative expenses. Unless education is given equal importance in the country\u2019s national priorities alongside defence, infrastructure, and other development sectors, it will not be possible to achieve the desired progress. It is not enough to construct school buildings in some suburban areas while neglecting their continuous educational frameworks. The recruitment of quality teachers, a modern curriculum, digital facilities, a safe environment for children, and an effective monitoring system are equally important; therefore, adequate attention should also be devoted to these aspects.
\nThe root causes of illiteracy and out-of-school children include rising poverty. There are millions of families in the country for whom sending children to work instead of school has become a compulsion. If the government more effectively implements scholarships, free books, transport, food programmes, and social security schemes for school-aged children, many parents will be able to bring their children back to school. Numerous countries around the world have achieved significant success through conditional cash transfers and welfare programmes linked to school attendance. Pakistan can also benefit from such experiences, but poverty and the lack of educational financial assistance schemes compel us to follow the beaten path.
\nIt is also impossible to deny the fact that the education crisis is not only the responsibility of the government; parents, teachers, the private sector, social organisations, religious and community leaders, and the media also have to fulfil their responsibilities. Having over 25 million children out of school in Pakistan is not the failure of any one government or institution, but the outcome of decades of collective negligence. However, this crisis is not insurmountable. If the government allocates sufficient resources for education, formulates policies according to the needs of the provinces, ensures transparent accountability, invests in teacher training and modern technology, and makes the provision of education to every child a national goal, the dire situation can change for the better within a few years. The real development of this country is not merely related to high-rise infrastructure, motorways, unsustainable buildings, or mega projects; rather, it is associated with providing education to deprived children. If we do not equip these children with books, pens, and classrooms, this deprivation will become the biggest obstacle to our national development tomorrow. However, if they are provided with quality education, these children will prove to be Pakistan\u2019s greatest economic, scientific, and social force.<\/p>\n
The writer is an activist and environmentalist. She covers human rights and politico-environmental issues. She tweets @AttiyaMunawer and can be reached at attiabutt121@gmail.com<\/p>\n
Courtesy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Attiya Munawer Education in Pakistan is always considered the foundation of national development, economic stability, and social prosperity, but the ground realities seem to negate such a claim. According to the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring (GEM) 2026 Report, if more than 25 million children between the ages of 5 and 16 are out of school […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[9843],"class_list":["post-557056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-article","tag-attiya-munawer"],"yoast_head":"\n