What are the Main Problems of Education in Pakistan

11/11/2026

Education decides how far a country can grow, yet Pakistan still struggles to bring every child into a classroom and keep them there. Millions of children are out of school, public spending on education has fallen, and many students who do attend leave without the skills employers need.

This guide explains the main problems of education in Pakistan, using the latest figures from the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26, UNICEF and other recent reports. It also covers what can be done, and how skills-based learning can help people who missed out on formal education.

Key takeaways

About 25 to 26 million children aged 5 to 16 are estimated to be out of school, though survey methods give different numbers.
Education spending dropped to 0.8% of GDP in FY2025.
Girls, rural families and Balochistan are affected most.
Teacher training, curriculum quality and practical skills need urgent attention.

Education in Pakistan at a Glance

Indicator	Latest figure
Literacy rate (age 10 and above), 2024-25	63%, up from 61% in 2022-23
Female literacy rate	54%
Literacy by province	Punjab 68%, Sindh 58%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 58%, Balochistan 49%
Children aged 5 to 16 out of school	About 25 to 26 million (UNICEF and Pakistan Institute of Education); the Economic Survey 2025-26 puts the share at 28%
Education expenditure, FY2025	Rs962 billion, down from Rs1,251 billion the year before

The literacy and spending figures come from the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26. Out-of-school estimates differ because surveys use different age groups and methods, so treat any single number as an estimate.

Pakistan Economic Survey, as reported by Dawn · FY2020 to FY2023 and FY2025

Spending fell in FY2025 even though education was declared a national emergency, and the drop was sharpest in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Main Problems of Education in Pakistan

Child standing outside a school gate in Pakistan

1. Millions of Children Are Out of School

The most visible problem is access. UNICEF estimates that about 25.1 million children aged 5 to 16 are out of school, which gives Pakistan the second-highest number of out-of-school children in the world. A 2026 report prepared with the Pakistan Institute of Education, the Malala Fund and the Ministry of Education counted 25.37 million, including 13.41 million girls and 11.96 million boys.

The numbers fall sharply as children move up the system. The same report shows about 20.8 million children enrolled at primary level, 9.2 million at middle school, 4.7 million at matriculation and 2.8 million at intermediate level. Many children enter school but do not stay.

The burden is uneven across provinces. Punjab has the largest number of out-of-school children (about 9.6 million), followed by Sindh. Balochistan’s out-of-school rate is reported to have dropped from 69% in 2023 to 45% in 2025, but many schools there are still non-functional or lack basic facilities.

2. The Gender Gap and Child Marriage

Teenage girl studying at a desk with her books

Girls are hit hardest. In the 2024-25 survey data, male literacy stood at 68% compared with 52.8% for women, a gap of more than 15 points. The 2026 report above also found more girls than boys out of school.

Social norms, safety concerns, long distances to school and early marriage all push girls out of the classroom. Save the Children estimates that about 19 million girls in Pakistan are married before the age of 18, the sixth-highest number in the world. A girl who leaves school early earns less over her lifetime and is more likely to keep her own children out of school, which makes the problem pass from one generation to the next.

3. Low and Falling Public Spending

Empty classroom with worn desks and a cracked wall

Pakistan’s education spending has been shrinking as a share of the economy. According to the Economic Survey 2025-26, expenditure fell to 0.8% of GDP in FY2025, compared with 1.5% in FY2023 and 1.7% in FY2022. In rupee terms it dropped from Rs1,251 billion to Rs962 billion in a single year. Save the Children described this as a new low, despite education being declared a national emergency.

Low spending shows up in the classroom as too few schools, too few trained teachers and weak facilities. It also leaves little money for new buildings, books and teacher development, because most of what is spent goes to salaries and running costs.

4. Weak Learning Quality and an Outdated Curriculum

Getting children into school is only half the problem. Many classrooms still depend on memorisation and exams that reward recall rather than understanding. Students can finish school without strong reading, mathematics or problem-solving skills.

A curriculum that does not reflect today’s workplace makes this worse. Students need digital literacy, communication skills, critical thinking and practical knowledge, along with textbooks and learning materials that are current. Schools with poor buildings, no libraries and little technology find it harder still to offer this kind of learning.

5. Gaps in Teacher Training

Teacher attending a training workshop with colleagues

Students can only learn as much as their teachers can teach. Many teachers in Pakistan have limited access to regular professional development, so they rely on the methods they were taught themselves. Good training covers lesson planning, classroom management, assessment and the use of technology, and it should continue throughout a teacher’s career rather than stop at the first qualification. Teachers who teach in rural or remote schools often get the least support.

6. Rural Access, Poverty and Child Labour

Rural children face long distances to school, missing facilities and fewer qualified teachers. The 2024-25 survey put rural literacy at 51.6%, well below the national average. The 2026 school census report also notes that rapid population growth has reduced the number of schools per 1,000 children.

Poverty keeps many children out of class altogether. Government data from 2021 shows that nearly one in ten children aged 10 to 14 in Pakistan is working. Families that struggle to cover food, fees and transport often decide that a child’s income matters more than a school place. Floods and other disasters make things worse by damaging schools and interrupting lessons for months.

7. A Shortage of Vocational and Practical Skills

Young trainees learning a technical skill in a workshop

Most students move through an academic track that does not prepare them for a specific job. Technical and vocational training remains limited, and many young people finish school or college without a skill employers can use straight away. This contributes to youth unemployment and leaves businesses short of skilled workers.

Practical training in fields such as health care, information technology, safety, accounting and teaching can help young people and working adults earn better and move into steadier jobs.

What Can Be Done?

No single reform will fix all of this, but the evidence points to a few priorities:

Spend more and spend well. UNICEF has reported that the national education emergency plan aims to bring the number of out-of-school children below 10 million by 2029 and raise education spending by 0.5 percentage points of GDP each year. Meeting that target depends on actual budgets.
Bring children back with second-chance learning. UNICEF reported that more than 71,000 out-of-school adolescents joined accelerated learning programmes in 2025, a sign that catch-up pathways can work when they are tracked and kept going.
Keep girls in school. Safe transport, local girls’ schools, female teachers and scholarships all help, and so does tackling child marriage.
Invest in teachers. Regular, practical training and mentoring improve teaching far more than one-off workshops.
Update the curriculum. Build in critical thinking, digital skills and practical learning.
Expand vocational pathways. Link training to jobs that exist in the local economy.

Skills-Based Learning for Adults and Working Professionals

Formal schooling is not the only route. Many adults in Pakistan already have years of work experience but no recognised qualification. Skills-based and online programmes give these learners a way to formalise what they know and to keep learning while they work.

PDRi, for example, offers professional diploma courses in areas including education and teaching, and describes its RPL programme as a way to turn prior experience into a recognised diploma. Teachers can explore the professional diploma in education and teaching to build classroom skills. As with any course, check how the qualification is recognised for your intended job before you enrol. Our guide to online diploma courses in Pakistan explains what to look for.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest problem in Pakistan’s education system?

The largest single problem is access: an estimated 25 to 26 million children are out of school. Low spending, weak learning quality and the gender gap are closely linked to it.

How many children are out of school in Pakistan?

UNICEF and recent reports put the figure at roughly 25 to 26 million children aged 5 to 16. The Economic Survey 2025-26 reports that about 28% of children are out of school. Numbers vary by survey method.

What is the literacy rate in Pakistan?

The Economic Survey 2025-26 reports a literacy rate of 63% for people aged 10 and above in 2024-25, up from 61% in 2022-23. Female literacy is lower, at 54%.

How much does Pakistan spend on education?

Education expenditure was Rs962 billion in FY2025, or 0.8% of GDP, down from 1.5% of GDP in FY2023.

Why are girls less likely to finish school in Pakistan?

Cultural norms, safety concerns, distance to school, poverty and early marriage all play a part. Girls’ schooling improves when schools are nearby and safe, and when families are supported.

Is the education system outdated?

Many critics say so. Teaching still leans on memorisation, and curriculum and teacher training have not kept pace with modern skills such as digital literacy and critical thinking.

Conclusion

The main problems of education in Pakistan are connected. Children who cannot reach a school, girls who are married early, underpaid or untrained teachers, and shrinking budgets all feed the same cycle. The latest data shows slow progress on literacy but a worrying fall in spending, so the gap between need and investment is widening.

Reform has to come from governments, schools and communities together, and from learners themselves. For adults who want to improve their prospects now, flexible skills-based programmes offer a practical way forward. Explore PDRi’s diploma courses or contact the team to learn more.