Over 25 Million Children Out of School as Pakistan Spends Just 0.8pc of GDP on Education
National Assembly informed Punjab has highest number of out-of-school children; government also shares updates on solar imports, used vehicle policy and public relief measures
More than 25.37 million children in Pakistan are currently out of school, according to figures presented in the National Assembly, underscoring the scale of the country’s education crisis amid continued low public investment in the sector.
Official data shared by Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui showed that children between the ages of five and 16 remain deprived of basic education, with Punjab accounting for the highest number at 9.60 million.
In a written reply to a question raised by Natasha Daultana, the minister provided a provincial breakdown of out-of-school children, revealing significant disparities across the country. Sindh recorded the second-highest number, with approximately 7.082 million children not attending school, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where nearly 4.092 million children remain outside the education system.
According to the official figures, Balochistan has 2.94 million out-of-school children, while around 90,000 children in Islamabad are also deprived of access to formal education.
The National Assembly was further informed that Pakistan allocated only 0.8 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to education during the period from July 2024 to March 2025, reflecting the country’s continued struggle to prioritize investment in human development despite mounting educational challenges.
Meanwhile, in a separate written reply to a question by Samina Khalid Ghurki, the Finance Ministry informed the lower house that customs authorities had not detected any case of under-invoicing in solar panel imports based on direct evidence during the past five years.
The ministry also shared details regarding the import policy for used vehicles, stating that the government has allowed the commercial import of used vehicles up to five years old until June 30, 2026. After that date, commercial imports of used vehicles will be permitted without any age restriction.
However, officials clarified that no commercial imports under SRO 1895(I)/2025 have taken place so far, meaning companies have yet to bring used vehicles into Pakistan under the revised framework.
Responding to a supplementary question, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani said the government remains committed to encouraging and expanding the use of solar energy across the country.
He told lawmakers that the installation of solar power systems continues to be an attractive option for consumers, particularly under the newly introduced pro-summer regulations aimed at supporting renewable energy adoption.
Despite limited financial resources, the government has attempted to provide relief to citizens, he said, adding that a Rs129 billion fuel subsidy package had been introduced to shield consumers from rising global oil prices triggered by ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
Kayani further informed the House that Rs716 billion had been allocated for the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) during the current fiscal year to provide financial assistance to more than 10 million families across the country.
