An estimated 9.6 million school-age children in Punjab remain out of the formal education system, according to figures presented by the School Education Department in the Punjab Assembly.
The department stated that the growing number of out-of-school children has become one of the province’s most significant educational challenges.
According to the School Education Department, data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics’ 2023 Population Census indicates that millions of children between the ages of 5 and 16 across Pakistan are not enrolled in school, with Punjab accounting for a substantial share of this population.
The report further revealed that 45 tehsils across Pakistan have particularly high rates of out-of-school children, including 30 tehsils in Punjab.
The School Education Department said that efforts are underway to reintegrate these children into the education system through school enrollment drives, public awareness campaigns, and other educational initiatives.
Officials added that the government’s objective is to improve access to education for as many children as possible and increase the province’s literacy rate.
