Islamabad:In a comprehensive 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).
The findings, released on Sunday in a preliminary teaser, highlight the critical state of education accessibility in the country, said a news release.
As of 2021-22, there are a concerning 26.2 million out-of-school children across the country. The breakdown by provinces is as follows: Punjab (11.73 million), Sindh (7.63 million), KPK (3.63 million), Balochistan (3.13 million), and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) with 0.08 million out-of-school students.
Disturbingly, 39 percent 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 65 percent of children are out of school, while ICT reports the lowest percentage. In comparison among the major provinces, KPK fare
s better with a 30 per cent out-of-school rate.
Despite a decrease in the percentage of out-of-school children from 44 per cent in 2016-17 to 39 per cent in 2021-22, the absolute number has surged from 22.02 million to 26.21 million during the same period. This increase is primarily attributed to the population growth rate outpacing the decrease in out-of-school children.
A substantial portion of the out-of-school children, totalling 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.