The Ministry of Education on Monday disclosed that a staggering 26.2 million children across Pakistan are currently deprived of attending school.
The figures, presented in the National Assembly, underscore a significant educational crisis facing the nation.
According to the data, 17.74 million children aged between 5 to 9 years are out of school. This group includes 4.97 million boys and 5.81 million girls. The disparity highlights a troubling gap in early childhood education access.
For the 10 to 12 years age group, 4.93 million children are missing out on middle education. This category includes 2.11 million boys and 2.83 million girls, indicating a gender imbalance in educational attainment at this level.
The crisis extends into higher education, with 4.55 million students being deprived of high school education. This includes 2.31 million male students and 2.24 million female students.
At the higher secondary level, the situation is equally concerning. The Ministry reported that 5.95 million students are not receiving education. Among them, 2.99 million are male students, and 2.96 million are female students.
