FAFEN report reveals Pakistan’s literacy rate lowest in South Asia

ISLAMABAD: The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has released an analytical review based on data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and the World Bank, revealing that Pakistan’s overall literacy rate stands at 63 percent, the lowest among South Asian countries, ARY News reported.

According to the report, Pakistan has made only a marginal improvement of three percent in literacy since 2018–19, highlighting slow progress in the education sector despite constitutional and international commitments.

FAFEN’s analysis shows that Maldives leads South Asia with a literacy rate of 98 percent, followed by Sri Lanka at 93 percent and India at 87 percent. Bangladesh records a literacy rate of 79 percent, while the regional average stands at 78 percent, significantly higher than Pakistan’s figure.

The report highlights a stark gender disparity in education across the country. Literacy among men is reported at 73 percent, whereas female literacy remains alarmingly low at 54 percent.

Provincial data further underscores regional inequalities. Punjab records the highest literacy rate at 68 percent, while Balochistan lags behind at 49 percent, according to FAFEN.

Age-wise analysis indicates that youth literacy stands at 77 percent, offering some optimism for the future, but adult literacy remains low at 60 percent, reflecting longstanding gaps in access to education.

FAFEN emphasized that under Article 25-A of the Constitution, providing free and compulsory education is the responsibility of the state. The report also noted that Pakistan is committed to ensuring quality education under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), yet current indicators show the country is falling short of these obligations.

The watchdog urged policymakers to prioritize education reforms, address gender and regional disparities, and accelerate progress to meet constitutional and global education targets.