Pakistan has recorded a slight but notable decline in the number of out-of-school children, now standing at 28%, or fewer than three in every ten children, according to a new official survey. However, the same report warns that food insecurity has sharply increased across all provinces, highlighting a troubling trade-off between education gains and household well-being.
The findings come from the Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) conducted between September 2024 and June 2025 and released after a six-year gap. The survey was carried out following encouragement from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and uses updated population data from the 2023 census, offering a more accurate national picture.
The total number of out-of-school children has dropped from 25.3 million to around 20 million. Nationally, the out-of-school rate declined from 30% to 28%, showing modest progress in enrolment. Despite this improvement, deep inequalities persist. Nearly one in four boys and almost one in three girls remain out of school, with rural girls in Sindh and Balochistan facing the highest exclusion.
Punjab showed no change, maintaining its rate at 21%, still the lowest in the country. Sindh improved slightly from 42% to 39%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 31% to 28%, while Balochistan recorded the biggest gain, cutting the rate from 59% to 45%.
Among out-of-school children, 20% never enrolled, while 8% dropped out. Boys often leave education due to child labour and rising education costs, whereas girls are more affected by financial hardship and family restrictions. The survey noted that “economic pressures continue to shape education outcomes across gender and regions.”
Encouragingly, the share of people aged 10 and above who have ever attended school rose from 61% to 67%, while the national literacy rate increased from 60% to 63%. Yet, the sharp rise in food insecurity threatens to undermine these gains if household conditions continue to deteriorate.