UNICEF Report Exposes Punjab’s Education Crisis: 10M Children Out of School, Only 12% Master Basic Math
A recent UNICEF report has sounded the alarm on Punjab’s crumbling primary education system, revealing that just 66% of children complete primary school, while a shocking 10 million remain entirely excluded from education.
The findings highlight a severe learning crisis, with only 12% of middle school students demonstrating basic math proficiency. Education specialists warn that without immediate policy reforms—balancing schooling, skill development, and population control—Pakistan’s education emergency could worsen.
Nationally, the report estimates 25 million children are out of school, ranking Pakistan among the world’s worst for youth disengagement from education. Punjab alone accounts for 10 million unschooled children, underscoring the scale of the challenge.
Experts also slammed Punjab’s unequal resource distribution, noting government schools receive 3.5% more funding than those under the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF). This disparity, they argue, deepens class inequality and denies marginalized students access to quality learning.
“Education deprivation isn’t just a social failure—it’s a ticking time bomb for national progress,” cautioned one analyst. “Without urgent action, economic growth and social cohesion will erode further.”
The report demands urgent policy reforms, including fair funding, higher teaching standards, and targeted initiatives to reintegrate out-of-school children—especially in rural and impoverished communities.