Nearly 9.6 million children in Punjab are currently out of school, according to figures presented by the Punjab School Education Department in the Provincial Assembly. The data highlights the scale of the education challenge facing Pakistan’s most populous province.

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Census Data Highlights Education Gap Government Continues Enrollment Efforts

The information was submitted in response to a question raised by opposition lawmaker Ahmar Rasheed Bhatti. According to the department, the figures are based on the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics’ 2023 Population Census and cover children between the ages of five and 16.

Census Data Highlights Education Gap

The School Education Department told the assembly that Punjab accounts for a significant share of Pakistan’s out-of-school children.

According to the 2023 census data, 30 of the country’s 45 tehsils with the highest number of out-of-school children are located in Punjab, underscoring the province’s education access challenges.

Government Continues Enrollment Efforts

The department said it is working to bring more children into the education system through school enrollment campaigns and other initiatives aimed at increasing access to education.

Officials said these measures are intended to improve enrollment rates and reduce the number of children who remain outside formal schooling across the province.

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