In Pakistan, the crisis of out-of-school children has reached alarming proportions, signaling a national emergency with profound human and economic consequences.

Despite Article 25-A of the Constitution, which guarantees free and compulsory education for all children aged 5–16 years, Pakistan remains among the top three countries globally with the highest number of out-of-school children (OOSC).

The Scale of Pakistan’s Education Crisis

According to the 2023 Population Census, an estimated 71.2 million children fall within the 5–16 age group. Of these, approximately 25.3 million — nearly 36% — are not in school.

Key Figures at a Glance

25.3 Million
Children aged 5–16 are out of school in Pakistan.

9.6 Million
Children are out of school in Punjab.

46%
Of children in Sindh are out of school.

58%
Of children in Balochistan are out of school.

In Punjab alone, around 9.6 million children (38%) are out of school. The disparities are even starker in other regions: in Sindh, 46% of all children, including 52% of girls, are out of school; in Balochistan, the figure rises to 58%.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated this crisis, pushing even more children and adolescents out of school, many of whom are unlikely to return.

This is not merely an education crisis; it is a development emergency.

The lack of access to quality education, coupled with misalignment between skills and market needs and weak school-to-work transitions, has left millions of young people unprepared for a rapidly evolving job market shaped by globalization, digitalization, and climate change.

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The Cost of Inaction

Education is a cornerstone for achieving all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and serves as a catalyst for economic and climate resilience.

Investing in education yields immense long-term benefits, while failure to act has devastating financial repercussions.

The Economic Case for Education

According to UNESCO, every US$1 spent on education increases GDP by an average of $20.

Educated individuals earn higher wages, with each additional year of schooling increasing annual earnings by 9%.

In addition, UNESCO reports that investing $1 in youth skills can yield a fifteen-fold return in economic growth.

Pakistan’s Education Investment Gap

In 2020, Pakistan spent 2.1% of its GDP on education, below the South Asian regional average of 2.9% and the global average of 4.3%.

Alarmingly, this figure decreased to 1.5% in 2023.

Such a low investment is insufficient to fulfill the constitutional pledge to provide free and compulsory education to children aged 5–16.

Pakistan needs to reassess its approach to education financing, broaden its revenue base, and gradually increase education expenditure to at least 4.3% of GDP, ensuring access to quality education for all.

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Understanding the Drivers of the OOSC Crisis

Pakistan’s net enrolment rates in primary and middle school stand at 60% and 37%, respectively, with Punjab performing slightly better at 70% and 41%.

These figures, coupled with high dropout rates — 50% nationally and 33% in Punjab — highlight severe challenges in retaining students in the education system.

The factors behind school dropout and non-enrolment can be broadly categorized into three areas.

01. Systemic Barriers

These include the absence of accessible formal education options, inadequate infrastructure, undertrained teachers, and limited non-formal education (NFE) alternatives.

The education system often lacks bridges between basic education and vocational training, leaving adolescents with no viable pathways back into learning.

02. Social and Cultural Norms

Deep-rooted societal beliefs, particularly regarding gender roles, disproportionately affect girls.

In conservative communities, girls’ education is often viewed as a low-return investment, while boys are seen as future breadwinners.

Girls may be kept at home to preserve family honour, care for siblings, or because of early marriage. Low maternal education levels and unsafe school environments further contribute to dropout rates.

03. Economic Pressures

For many families, children’s contributions to household income through informal labour outweigh the perceived benefits of schooling.

Additionally, the lack of visible economic return from education, due to irrelevant curricula and weak job prospects, discourages continued enrolment.

Current education systems often fail to equip students with the job-ready skills they need, thereby reinforcing cycles of poverty and exclusion.

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A Four-Pronged Strategy: From Exclusion to Economic Empowerment

To reverse this crisis, Pakistan must adopt an integrated, four-pronged strategy that links access to education with economic opportunity.

These approaches must address the structural reasons why children are out of school while building a future where young people are equipped to contribute meaningfully to the economy.

01 — Non-Formal Education (NFE)

Plugging the Access Gap

In underserved regions, schools are often absent, inaccessible, or ill-equipped.

Community-based learning centres can serve as a lifeline, especially for girls, by providing flexible, inclusive environments tailored to adolescent learners. These centres should be locally managed, ensuring cultural sensitivity and community ownership.

They must deliver not only basic literacy and numeracy but also:

• Life skills
• Digital fluency
• Financial literacy
• Psychosocial support
• Gender-responsive learning environments

Integrating digital tools, incentives such as meals and health check-ups, and gender-responsive infrastructure — including female instructors and safe spaces — can significantly improve enrolment and retention.

Importantly, strong linkages with the formal education system are essential.

NFE should not be a dead-end, but a pathway back to formal education or certified skills training.

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02 — Skills Development

Building Demand-Aligned Capacities

Education alone cannot prepare youth for the labour market unless it is aligned with economic needs.

Skills development programmes must be redesigned to match market demands and segmented by age and ability. A one-size-fits-all model is inadequate for addressing the diverse realities of adolescent learners.

Ages 11–13

Younger adolescents should receive pre-vocational or school reintegration support to build foundational competencies and reintroduce them to structured learning.

Ages 14–19

Older adolescents, especially those unlikely to return to formal schooling, need targeted technical and vocational training.

Training should align with sectors that have growth potential, including:

• Construction
• Clean energy
• Agri-tech
• Digital services
• Sustainable manufacturing

Soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving should be embedded in all training modules.

For individuals aged 18 and above, industry-aligned training and apprenticeships can facilitate a smoother transition from school to work.

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03 — Job Placement & Entrepreneurship

Closing the Loop

Skill-building is futile without clear employment pathways.

Structured support for career counselling, job placement, and employer engagement must be institutionalized. Too often, vocational programs end without follow-up, leaving graduates unsupported.

Career guidance should begin early, providing young people with insights into professions, labour market trends, and actionable career paths.

Partnerships with local businesses can facilitate internships and job-shadowing opportunities that demystify the world of work.

Creating Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship should also be encouraged, particularly in areas with limited formal employment.

Young people should have access to:

• Business skills training
• Microfinance
• Digital marketing tools
• Ongoing mentorship

Supporting both employment and self-employment can expand economic participation across rural and peri-urban areas, particularly for girls.

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04 — From Fragmentation to Integration

Building a Systemic Response

Piecemeal efforts cannot resolve a crisis of this magnitude.

For too long, education, skills development, and employment initiatives have operated in silos with minimal coordination, fragmented delivery, and unaligned outcomes.

What is needed is an integrated, multi-sectoral response that unites:

Government • Donors • Private Sector • Civil Society • Local Communities

This includes harmonizing data systems to track progress more effectively, aligning curricula and certification standards across delivery models, and coordinating funding streams to reduce duplication.

Introducing outcome-based financing can further incentivize results-driven approaches.

Education and skills should no longer be treated as isolated interventions but as components of a continuous, connected learning-to-livelihood pathway.

Government leadership is essential in setting policy direction and scaling proven models. This must be complemented by meaningful private sector engagement, particularly in shaping training that meets real labour market needs.

Civil society plays a vital role in community mobilization, awareness-raising, and safeguarding, especially for vulnerable groups such as girls, children with disabilities, and marginalized rural populations.

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Learning from the Region

Success stories from South Asia demonstrate that transformation is possible.

Bangladesh — BRAC

Bangladesh’s BRAC Non-Formal Primary Education model reintegrated over 10 million out-of-school children through community schools, resulting in a 30% reduction in dropout rates among rural girls.

India — Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya

India’s Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya helped 75% of enrolled girls transition to formal education or vocational training.

These models underscore the power of context-sensitive, gender-responsive, and scalable solutions.

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Policy Recommendations

To address the out-of-school children crisis effectively, Pakistan must implement bold and targeted policy actions.

Build a Learning-to-Livelihood Pathway

Launch a national program integrating non-formal education with skills training and job placement, creating a seamless pathway for out-of-school children.

Allocate More Funding to NFE

Provincial governments should allocate at least 25% of their education budgets to non-formal education linked with skills training, expanding access in underserved areas.

Strengthen Private-Sector Partnerships

At least 50% of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programs should be delivered in partnership with the private sector to ensure alignment with real labour-market needs.

Introduce Outcome-Based Financing

Public and donor funding should increasingly be tied to tangible results such as student reintegration, skills acquisition, and successful transitions into employment.

These concrete measures, if implemented systematically, can transform the education and skills landscape and contribute significantly to Pakistan’s inclusive growth agenda.

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A Call to Action

The crisis of out-of-school children is urgent but solvable.

We can no longer afford delay. Every year, millions of children remain disconnected from opportunity, and Pakistan loses out on innovation, productivity, and inclusive growth.

This is our chance to correct market failures, promote gender equity, and empower Pakistan’s youth to drive economic transformation.

We must be bold in our vision, united in our approach, and steadfast in our resolve.

Let us build the bridge from exclusion to opportunity with urgency, equity, and a long-term vision for national prosperity.

The time to act is now.