UNESCO education report has highlighted Pakistan’s continuing out-of-school children crisis, warning that millions of children remain excluded from formal education despite ongoing reforms and enrolment campaigns.
The 2026 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, released by UNESCO, identified educational inequality and limited access to schooling as major global challenges. The report said Pakistan faces one of the world’s largest populations of children outside the education system, making progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 4 a significant policy challenge.
According to Pakistan Education Statistics for the 2023–24 and 2024–25 cycle, an estimated 25.15 million children aged between five and 16 are out of school in the country. The report noted that the issue includes children who never enrolled, dropped out early or entered school late.
UNESCO said the burden is particularly severe in provinces such as Balochistan and Sindh, where school shortages, poverty, teacher gaps and social barriers continue to affect access to education, especially for girls. The report also highlighted weak transition rates between primary and secondary education levels.
Education financing remains a major concern
The report identified low education spending as a major structural issue in Pakistan’s education system. Public expenditure on education remains below international benchmarks, estimated at around 0.8% of GDP, limiting the government’s ability to expand access and improve educational quality at scale.
UNESCO called for targeted financing models focused on high-burden districts and marginalised communities. The report also recommended greater investment in girls’ education, foundational learning, non-formal education and second-chance learning pathways.
UNESCO and Pakistan preparing long-term roadmap
The report said UNESCO is working with Pakistan on a Strategic Cooperation Roadmap for 2026–2030 aimed at aligning education reforms with national priorities. The initiative follows UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany’s visit to Pakistan earlier this year, during which out-of-school children were discussed as a national priority with senior government officials.
UNESCO is also supporting preparations for a High-Level National Summit on out-of-school children scheduled for May 2026. The summit is expected to bring together federal and provincial authorities to coordinate reforms related to curriculum development, teacher training, education data systems and enrolment strategies.
The GEM Report said stronger data systems, targeted financing and community-based education models would be necessary to reduce the number of out-of-school children and improve long-term educational access across Pakistan.
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