Over 25 Million Pakistani Children Remain Out of School Despite National Education Emergency: Report

More than two years after the federal government’s declaration of a National Education Emergency, Pakistan continues to struggle with bringing over 25 million out-of-school children into the education system due to chronic structural challenges, according to a new policy review by the Civil Services Academy (CSA).
The report states that the country’s education crisis is being driven by inadequate funding, fragmented governance, weak institutional capacity, and uneven implementation across provinces. While all provinces have developed education roadmaps under the National Education Action Plan (NEAP) 2026, the report concludes that the main challenge lies in effective implementation rather than policymaking.
According to the study, Pakistan has between 25.1 million and 26 million out-of-school children, making it one of the countries with the world’s largest populations of children deprived of education despite the constitutional guarantee of free and compulsory education under Article 25-A.
The report notes that the education crisis has persisted for decades. Historical data from the Pakistan Institute of Education (PIE) indicates that poverty, rapid population growth, weak governance, and consistently low investment in education have contributed to the growing number of children excluded from schools.
It also highlights that from the 1990s through the 2010s, the responsibility for monitoring out-of-school children rested with the Academy of Educational Planning and Management (AEPAM). During that period, public education infrastructure failed to keep pace with population growth, leading to the expansion of low-cost private schools while millions of children remained outside the formal education system.
Prepared by five Policy Analysis Groups at the Pakistan Administrative Service Campus, the report evaluates education policies in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Islamabad Capital Territory, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir based on effectiveness, efficiency, equity, ethics, and feasibility.
The report emphasizes that although the National Education Emergency announced on May 8, 2024, generated significant political attention, each province faces distinct structural challenges that require tailored policy responses rather than a one-size-fits-all national strategy.
According to the review:
* Punjab faces the country’s largest burden of out-of-school children.
* Sindh struggles with high dropout rates after primary education and the impact of climate-related disasters.
* Khyber Pakhtunkhwa faces security challenges, difficult terrain, and a shortage of female teachers.
* Balochistan continues to suffer from weak institutions, long travel distances, and a large number of non-functional schools.
* Federal territories report relatively higher enrollment rates but still experience significant educational inequalities.
Punjab alone accounts for the largest share of the crisis, with an estimated 9.6 million to 10.4 million children out of school. According to the Punjab School Education Department’s 2026 baseline report, approximately 6.4 million children have never enrolled in school, while another 3.16 million have dropped out, highlighting that both enrollment and student retention remain major challenges for the province.