Over 26mn children out of school in Pakistan, NA told

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Education told the National Assembly that over 26.2 million children are out of school in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

According to details submitted by the Education Department at the National Assembly, a total of 26,260,520 are deprived of education in the country.

The report added that over 17 million children between the ages of 5 and 9 are not enrolled in school. Similarly, around 4.9 million children between the ages of 10 and 12 are deprived of middle school education and out of school in Pakistan.

Furthermore, over 2.1 million boys and around 2.8 million girls are deprived of middle school education. The report submitted to the National Assembly added that 4.5 million childern are deprived of high school education in the country.

According to the report, 5.9 million students are deprived of higher secondary education.

With 2,620,520 kids not attending school nationwide, the report draws attention to the startling number of kids children are losing out on an education.

Earlier in January 2024, then Caretaker Education Minister Madad Ali Sindhi revealed that the count of children in Pakistan who are not enrolled in school surged to 25 million

Showing concerns about the increasing number of out-of-school children in the country, Jam Madad Ali Sindhi urged the parents to enroll their children in schools.

Stippened through Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) will be given to the children to ease the burden from their parents, the minister said.

The then education minister said the plight of schools in Islamabad has been improved. Without taking the name of the province, Sindhi said he visited the village of an education minister of a province and found girls studying by sitting on the floor.