Over 5 Million Children Out of School in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Report Reveals Shocking Education Gap

Peshawar (INP) – A startling revelation has emerged regarding the education crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with nearly 50 lakh (5 million) children in the province not attending school. A report released by the provincial education department highlighted that approximately 37% of children in the region are deprived of education, amounting to a total of 4.92 million children.
The report indicates that Peshawar, the provincial capital, has the highest number of out-of-school children, with over 800,000 children not enrolled in schools. Kohistan district, based on its population ratio, has the highest percentage of children out of school, with 80,333 children missing from the education system. In contrast, Upper Chitral has the lowest percentage of children out of school, with just 10% of children not attending school.
According to the education department, the situation in Lower Kohistan and Upper Kohistan is particularly dire, with 79% of children in these areas not enrolled in schools.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Education Minister, Faisal Amin Turkai, addressed the issue, stating that over 48 lakh children are out of school in the province. He emphasized that the provincial government is making significant efforts to enroll children in schools. Faisal Turkai further mentioned that last year, 1.3 million children were enrolled in schools, and this year, the government aims to enroll 1 million more children.
The education crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains a pressing issue, with the government striving to bridge the education gap and bring children back to school in the coming years.