A recently released policy paper proposes funding increase, better school facilities, teacher training, a modern curriculum, and bold steps to curb dropouts in Pakistan’s largest province
In a small village on the outskirts of Lahore, 10-year-old Noman lines up trinkets to sell on the street. “I would like to study, but my family can’t afford school. So, I have to sell items on the streets to make ends meet,” he says. Having dropped out of school after the fifth grade, Noman’s is just one of over 10 million out-of-school children who collectively make up the education crisis in Pakistan’s largest province, Punjab.
Punjab is facing a spiraling education emergency as the number of out-of-school children rises and classrooms crumble from neglect. This is a crisis that can no longer be ignored, experts warn.
In response to this alarming situation, a new policy paper drafted by Volunteers Leading Governance (VLG) lays out a comprehensive plan to turn Punjab’s education system around. The roadmap zeroes in on five key areas for urgent action: education funding, infrastructure, teacher development, curriculum improvement, and reducing dropout rates. Each pillar addresses a critical gap in the system, aiming to fulfill the promise of Article 25-A of Pakistan’s Constitution – the right to free, quality education for every child. The proposed solutions are designed to resonate with policymakers and parents alike, focusing on practical steps that can make schools more accessible and learning more effective for all of Punjab’s children.
Funding the Future of Education
One of the most pressing issues is the chronic underfunding for the education sector. Pakistan spends roughly 2.5% of its GDP on education, which is the lowest in South Asia. This falls far below the international benchmark of 4–6% of GDP that experts recommend for education investment.
In Punjab, the provincial government allocates about Rs 450 billion for education annually, but around 80% of that is consumed in salaries, leaving little for new schools, books, or facilities. While paying teachers is essential, the imbalance means that developmental funds for building classrooms or introducing technology – often remain absent. “The government must know that it is lacking in education budgeting and public financing,” a federal education official admitted in a recent forum, underscoring that simply increasing the budget is not enough; it must also be better utilized.
Education advocates are calling for a major funding boost. Analysts estimate Pakistan needs to spend at least 5–6% of GDP on education to fix the system. For Punjab, this would mean significantly raising the education budget so that every child has a school to go to. More funds would allow the province to construct and refurbish schools, purchase missing supplies, and expand successful programs.
Watchdogs also urge cracking down on waste. A State Bank report highlighted the need to eliminate “ghost schools” and absent teachers that drain resources without educating students. By reallocating funds efficiently – for example, ensuring each rupee reaches the classroom – Punjab can make the most of any budget increase. The policy paper suggests a transparent tracking system for education expenditures and involving community oversight to reduce leakages. The message is clear: investing in education now will yield enormous social returns later, from a more skilled workforce to lower crime and poverty rates.
Rebuilding School Infrastructure
Even when children enroll, many schools are hardly in a condition to nurture learning. Thousands of students attend classes in dilapidated buildings or in open courtyards. Basic facilities like toilets, potable water, electricity, and boundary walls are often missing. A nationwide survey found that only about half of government schools have all four of these basic facilities present. While Punjab’s schools rank better on infrastructure than those in some other provinces the situation is still far from ideal.
These conditions deter children, especially girls, from attending schools as an absence of sanitation and privacy makes schools simply inhospitable.
Upgrading school infrastructure is therefore a cornerstone of the proposed reforms. The policy paper calls for an emergency school construction and rehabilitation drive across Punjab. This includes building new classrooms and schools in underserved areas and fixing existing ones that have fallen into disrepair. Punjab has over 47,000 public schools, but many serve only the primary grades. In fact, 81% of government schools nationwide are primary schools only, leaving students with limited opportunities to continue education beyond Grade 5 if no middle or high school is nearby.
This structural gap forces countless children to drop out after primary education. To combat this, officials propose upgrading primary schools to middle and high schools so that children can progress in their own communities.
“We have to make sure a child doesn’t lose access to education just because the next school is too far,” one expert noted. New investment would also provide every school with toilets and clean water (critical for girls’ retention), electricity and fans (so learning isn’t halted by heat or darkness), and boundary walls for security.
Importantly, community involvement is encouraged: local committees can help monitor construction quality and even volunteer in school maintenance, fostering a sense of ownership. If Punjab’s schools are rebuilt and equipped, students will not only enroll – they’ll stay and learn in an environment worthy of their potential.
Tackling Teacher Shortages and Quality
No education reform can succeed without focusing on teachers – the backbone of the system. Punjab’s schools currently face an acute teacher shortage that stretches resources thin. There are about 310,000 teachers serving in the province, but education officials estimate 125,000 more are needed. Over 15,000 schools in Punjab lack a teacher for some classes – in some schools, a single teacher is responsible for teaching all grades. This means students often don’t get the attention or subject expertise they require. “It’s not easy managing five grades alone. I can’t give each child the time they deserve,” says one primary school teacher overseeing an entire village school. The shortage is worse in rural and disadvantaged areas, where attracting and retaining educators is difficult due to lower pay, poor facilities, and remote postings.
The policy paper proposes a two-fold strategy: hire more teachers and improve teacher training. The government of Punjab has already begun recruitment drives and even brought in temporary teachers to plug gaps. But stopgaps won’t suffice; the policy paper urges fast-tracking the recruitment against 125,000 vacant teaching posts with proper funding and political will. This could involve offering incentives for teachers to serve in rural areas – for example, housing allowances, hardship bonuses, or prioritizing local candidates who are willing to stay in their communities. Along with recruiting new teachers, professional development for existing teachers is crucial. Many teachers in service have had little refresher training in modern teaching methods. “Our syllabus hasn’t been updated since 2012, and many teachers may not be fully aware of effective teaching methodologies,” notes an education college professor, highlighting the need for continuous training.
The reform plan recommends regular in-service training workshops, mentoring programs, and certifying untrained teachers with modern pedagogical skills. Strengthening teacher training colleges – including updating their curriculum – is part of this strategy. Education officials have indicated plans to upgrade teacher training institutes and establish them as centers of excellence so new teachers enter classrooms better prepared.
By investing in teachers, Punjab aims to reduce the student-to-teacher ratio (currently often above 40:1) to a more manageable level, and to ensure that a child in a remote village gets the same quality of instruction as one in Lahore. This investment pays off directly in learning: studies show that trained, supported teachers produce better student outcomes and lower dropout rates.
Modernizing an Outdated Curriculum
Punjab’s students not only need teachers – they need to be taught the right skills and knowledge for the 21st century. Currently, the curriculum and textbooks used in most public schools are widely criticized as outdated and overly focused on rote memorization. “The syllabus hasn’t been updated in years; many subjects are no longer relevant and should be replaced with more current topics,” an academic report warned, finding the curricula in some programs stuck in a 2012 time warp. This disconnect results in graduates who struggle in higher education and the job market, and it contributes to boredom and dropouts in middle and high school. With rapidly changing economic demands, there’s a growing consensus that curriculum reform is needed to equip Punjab’s youth for the future.
The paper calls for a thorough curriculum overhaul. This means revising textbooks to emphasize comprehension, critical thinking, and problem-solving rather than memorization of facts. For example, science lessons would include simple experiments and real-life applications; language classes would encourage creative writing and communication skills. There is also a push to incorporate technical and vocational skills at the secondary level, so students interested in trades or technology can learn practical skills before graduation. Given the recent national moves toward a Single National Curriculum, Punjab has an opportunity to ensure any new standards meet local needs and international benchmarks.
Education experts suggest forming committees of experienced teachers, subject specialists, and even students to review and update the content regularly, making it more engaging. Modern teaching aids – such as audio-visual materials or computers – can complement the new curriculum if budget allows. Importantly, teachers will need orientation on any new content and methods; as one official noted, that “updating curriculum goes hand-in-hand with training teachers to deliver it effectively”. The goal is that a student in Punjab should emerge from school not just with a certificate, but with skills relevant to society and the economy – whether that’s basic coding, analytical thinking, or an understanding of civic responsibilities. A modern curriculum, delivered by well-trained teachers, will help raise the currently stagnant learning levels and prepare students for higher education and employment opportunities in a competitive world.
Keeping Children in School: Combating Dropouts
Perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of Punjab’s education crisis is the high dropout rate. Every year, countless children who start primary school do not make it to the higher grades. Some never enter a classroom at all. Punjab officials report that about 10.4 million children are enrolled in schools across the province, but only around 7 million complete primary education – and this number plummets to just 1.2–1.3 million by Grade 9. In other words, a vast majority of students leave the education system before ever finishing high school. “We worry more about bread than books,” is a common lament among poor, illiterate parents.
Poverty is the single biggest driver of these dropouts, experts say. Families in poverty often pull their children out of school so they can work – whether it’s boys laboring in fields and workshops or girls doing domestic work and caring for siblings. Rising inflation and the cost of school supplies have only made matters worse, forcing parents into dire choices between short-term survival and long-term education. Culture and awareness also play a role: in some conservative communities, educating girls is not prioritized, and early marriages or household duties cut short their schooling. By the time children reach the age for middle or high school, many parents question the value of continuing education versus having an extra earning hand.
To reverse the tide of dropouts, the policy paper emphasizes removing the barriers that push children out of school. Financial incentives and support are a key part of the solution. Punjab is expanding programs like the Waseela-e-Taleem/Ehsaas Education Stipends, which provide cash grants to the poorest families to keep their kids in school. Under this initiative (run via the Benazir Income Support Programme), families receive small stipends conditional on their children maintaining at least 70% attendance.
Since its launch, over 4.4 million students have been enrolled through such stipends and billions of rupees distributed to encourage schooling “The government must provide relief from inflation and offer subsidies to parents to encourage them to send their children to school,” urges Rana Liaquat Ali, an education expert, noting that 5 to 6 million students drop out annually in Pakistan largely due to economic pressures . These stipends, along with free textbooks and uniforms, aim to ease the financial burden on parents. Another approach is offering free school meals, an idea piloted in some areas, which not only alleviates child hunger but also draws students to school and keeps them there throughout the day.
The provincial government is also experimenting with innovative solutions to accommodate working children.“To address the out-of-school children challenge and reduce dropout rates, schools have introduced double and triple shifts,” says Rana Sikandar Hayat, Punjab’s Education Minister. In this system, if a child cannot attend regular morning classes, they have the option to attend school in the afternoon or evening. This flexibility is crucial for students like Noman, who spend part of their day earning a livelihood.
By offering classes in later shifts, Punjab is making education accessible to those who would otherwise miss out due to daytime obligations. Early results show promise in urban areas with many working kids enrolling in evening classes, though the scheme needs expansion and resources to succeed in rural districts as well.
Community engagement is another pillar of the dropout prevention strategy. Teachers and local officials are working to make parents understand the long-run benefits of educating their children. “Convincing parents who believe schooling does not put food on the table remains a significant challenge,” Rana explains. To change this mindset, outreach campaigns must engage community elders, religious leaders, and social workers to champion the value of education.
Some villages have formed committees that undertake door-to-door visits, reenroll dropouts and offer mentorship. Activists stress that families need to view education as a basic right, not a privilege or luxury. The policy paper suggests enforcing laws against child labor in conjunction with these efforts, so that children are in classrooms and not at work during school hours. Additionally, alternative learning programs are being set up for older children who left school early – offering accelerated courses or technical training that can lead to job skills, ensuring even those who fell through the cracks get a second chance at learning.
A Call to Secure Punjab’s Future
The stakes for the province could not be higher. Educationists and economists warn that failure to act will condemn the next generation to poverty and stagnation. “Punjab’s literacy rate is around 60% and needs to increase rapidly for the province’s development,” argues Dr Qiyas Aslam, an economist. He notes that a more educated workforce is critical for economic growth. Every additional year of schooling is shown to raise an individual’s earning potential and health outcomes, which in turn lifts communities. By investing in education today, Punjab can reap immense long-term benefits: a more skilled labor force, reduced unemployment, and greater innovation.
It also directly addresses social issues – an educated populace is less likely to fall into extremism or crime and is better equipped to participate in democratic processes. Encouragingly, Punjab’s government and civil society have started moving in the right direction. Enrollment drives have brought some previously out-of-school children back to school – officials report over a million new admissions in a recent campaign. New classrooms are being built in overcrowded schools, and teacher hiring has resumed after years of freeze. These steps, however, must accelerate and expand.
The policy paper emphasizes time being is of the essence. “With 14 million children entering schools annually, the dropout rate will persist unless addressed,” experts warn, urging the government to prioritize education subsidies and relief measures to break the cycle of poverty and ignorance.
Punjab’s education crisis did not emerge overnight, and it won’t be solved instantly. But the policy solutions point in the right direction. By securing adequate funding, rebuilding schools, empowering teachers, modernizing learning, and keeping children in classrooms, Punjab can turn its education system around.
It will require political will, public support, and sustained effort from all stakeholders – government officials, teachers, parents, and students themselves. The payoff, however, is a brighter future for the province. A well-educated generation will fuel Punjab’s progress in every field from agriculture to technology
For youngsters like Noman who dream of returning to the class, these reforms are hope that one day no child in Punjab will have to choose bread over books. The consensus is clear: the time to act on Punjab’s education emergency is now. Schools must be put at the top of the government’s agenda.
It’s for the powers that be to decide if the future of Punjab will be built by children sitting in classrooms, or those peddling the streets.