Education in Crisis: Over 3,600 Schools Inactive in Balochistan Despite Emergency Measures

The deteriorating state of education in Balochistan has once again come under the spotlight, as a recent report by the provincial education department reveals that 3,692 out of 15,268 schools in the province are completely non-functional. Thousands of other schools lack basic facilities such as electricity, clean drinking water, gas, and toilets.

Despite Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti’s declaration of an “education emergency,” the policy has yet to yield meaningful results. Ground realities sharply contrast with official claims, leaving the future of hundreds of thousands of children hanging in the balance.

The report further discloses that 24% of the province’s schools are inactive, with over one million students currently enrolled in under-resourced institutions. In addition to inactive schools, 135 exist only on paper, and more than 1,000 have been shut down without explanation.

District-wise data reveals alarming figures: 252 schools are closed in Pishin, 250 in Khuzdar, and 180 in Qila Saifullah. Furthermore, 1,800 schools do not have buildings, and over 7,500 schools lack boundary walls. Around 12,000 schools are without electricity, and 10,000 are without access to clean water.

Despite an allocation of Rs. 147 billion for education in the provincial budget and the payment of Rs. 375 million in salaries to teachers and staff, the education system remains in disarray.

Education experts and civil society have called for urgent reforms, strict accountability, and effective utilization of the education budget to safeguard the future of the province’s children.