The share of out-of-school children in Pakistan dropped to 28% in 2025, according to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2025-26 released on Thursday, 11 June 2026.
The survey said the number declined from 38% in 2023 to 28% in 2025. This shows progress in school enrollment across the country.
The decline was visible among both boys and girls. Out-of-school boys dropped from 35% to 25%, while out-of-school girls fell from 42% to 31%.
However, the numbers also show that girls remain more likely to stay out of school than boys. This remains a major challenge for Pakistan’s education system.
The survey also reported improvement across all provinces. Balochistan saw the biggest drop, where out-of-school children declined from 69% to 45%. Sindh followed with a decline from 47% to 39%, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from 30% to 28%, and Punjab from 32% to 21%.
The report was released one day before the Budget 2026-27. Therefore, school enrollment, girls’ education, and provincial education funding may become important budget priorities.
Despite progress, Pakistan still has a large number of children outside classrooms.
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