Pakistan's literacy rate stands at 60pc: Economic Survey
Pakistan
Report also shed light on the alarming number of children who were still out of school
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Economic Survey 2024-25 has pulled back the curtain on Pakistan’s latest education statistics, revealing that the national literacy rate has reached 60 per cent over the past year.
According to the report, the literacy rate among men stood at 68 per cent, while women lagged behind at 52 per cent. Despite the gender gap, there has been a noticeable push in overall literacy compared to previous years.
Punjab once again topped the charts with a 66 per cent literacy rate, followed by Sindh at over 57 per cent. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded a 51 per cent literacy rate, while Balochistan brought up the rear with 42 per cent.
The report also shed light on the alarming number of children who were still out of school.
Although no fresh data was available for the past year, the survey included statistics from 2022 and 2023, painting a grim picture.
As per those figures, 38 per cent of children were out of school. Among them, 35 per cent were boys and a higher 42 per cent were girls, signaling a gender disparity that still needs to be addressed.
When it comes to the provinces, Punjab had the highest number of out-of-school children, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan.
The survey lays bare the challenges still facing the country’s education sector. Experts say Pakistan still has a long way to go before it can turn the tide and ensure education for all.
As the country prepares its budget for 2025-26, education advocates are calling on the government to put its money where its mouth is and increase spending on schools, especially in rural and underdeveloped areas.
