Islamabad,22 January 2024,(GNP): Pakistan is contending with a crisis of out-of-school children, experiencing a concerning increase from 22.02 million to 26.21 million, as reported by the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE) in its recent analysis.
The preliminary teaser underscored the critical state of education accessibility in the country, with detailed insights set to be unveiled.
The PIE’s Pakistan Education Statistics Report 2021-22 revealed alarming figures concerning out-of-school children. As of 2021-22, the report indicates a troubling 26.2 million out-of-school children across Pakistan.
Disturbingly, 39% of children in the school-going age group are presently out of school, highlighting a persistent challenge in achieving universal education.
Balochistan stands out with the highest percentage, where an alarming 65% of children are out of school, while ICT reports the lowest percentage. Among the major provinces, KP fares better with a 30% out-of-school rate.
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Despite a decline 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 in 2021-22, a disconcerting 60% of children are out of school. Further analysis reveals out-of-school rates of 44%, 30%, and 36% at high, middle, and primary levels respectively.
Economic differences affect how easily kids can go to school. Children from the poorest group face the most challenges, and this is true for all school levels.
