Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
In a detailed analysis of the Pakistan Education Statistics for the academic year 2021-22, a staggering revelation emerges concerning the number of Out-of-School Children (OOSC) reaching an alarming proportion of 26.20 million.
The findings, released today in a preliminary teaser, highlight the critical state of education accessibility in the country. As of 2021-22, there are 26.2 million out-of-school children across the country and the breakdown by provinces is as follows: Punjab (11.73m), Sindh (7.63m), KPK (3.63m), Balochistan (3.13m), and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) with 0.08m out-of-school students.
Moreover, 39pc of children in the school-going age group are currently out of school, indicating a persistent challenge in ensuring universal education. Balochistan stands out with the highest percentage, where a staggering 65pc of children are out of school, while ICT reports the lowest percentage. In comparison among the major provinces, KPK fares better with a 30pc out-of-school rate. Despite a decrease in the percentage of out-of-school children from 44pc in 2016-17 to 39pc in 2021-22 the absolute number has surged from 22.02 million to 26.21m 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, a disconcerting 60pc of children are out of school in 2021-22. Further analysis reveals 44pc, 30pc, and 36pc out-of-school rates at high, middle, and primary levels respectively.
A substantial portion of the out-of-school children, totaling 10.77 million, is at the primary level, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions. Economic disparities play a significant role in educational access, with children from the poorest quintile facing the highest disadvantage, evident across all education levels.
Detailed insights into economic disparities and additional statistics will be unveiled during a comprehensive release scheduled for Monday in PIE Islamabad.
