More than 25 million children across Pakistan are currently out of school, and a staggering 20 million of them have never attended a classroom, according to a new report released by the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE).
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The findings highlight the country’s ongoing education crisis and show that 1,084 transgender children are also among those not enrolled, underscoring systemic barriers affecting marginalized groups.
Provincial Breakdown of Out-of-School Children
The report outlines a deeply concerning distribution across provinces and regions:
Punjab: 9.6 million
4.7 million boys
4.8 million girls
Sindh: 7.8 million
3.7 million boys
4 million girls
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP): 4.9 million
2 million boys
2.9 million girls
Balochistan: 2.9 million
1.4 million boys
1.5 million girls
Islamabad (ICT): 89,000
47,849 boys
41,275 girls
Overall, girls remain disproportionately affected, with female out-of-school numbers surpassing those of boys in several regions.
Annual Increase Deepens the Crisis
The PIE report warns that the out-of-school population is rising by 20,000 children every year — a trend that experts say could have long-term economic and social implications if not urgently addressed.
Education specialists stress that immediate policy reforms, better funding, and stronger community-based initiatives are essential to bring millions of children into the formal schooling system and close Pakistan’s persistent education gap.
A Call for Coordinated Action
The data reflects ongoing challenges in Pakistan’s education sector, including issues of access, equity, gender disparity, infrastructure, and teaching quality. Experts emphasize that only coordinated efforts by:
the federal and provincial governments,
civil society,
educational institutions, and
international partners
can reverse the growing crisis and secure the constitutional right to education for every Pakistani child.
