The Economic Survey 2024-25 has painted a concerning picture of Pakistan’s education sector, revealing a decline in early childhood school enrollment and continued underinvestment in education.

According to the report released Monday, the enrollment rate of children aged three to five years dropped by 3.3% compared to the previous year. In 2023, 11.7 million children were enrolled in schools; however, in 2024, this number decreased sharply to 11.6 million — raising alarms about access to early education.

Despite the pressing challenges, education spending remained disproportionately low. Only 0.8% of the national GDP was allocated to education — far below international benchmarks and the minimum required to drive sustainable development in the sector.

Literacy gap widens between genders

The country’s overall literacy rate stood at 60.6%, with a glaring gender disparity. Male literacy was reported at 68%, while female literacy lagged behind at 52.8%. This 16% gender gap underscores ongoing challenges in ensuring equitable access to education for women and girls.

The number of children enrolled in primary schools rose by 3.2%, increasing from 23.861 million in 2023 to 24.830 million in 2024, a sign of growing access to early education. Middle school enrolment also improved, with the number of students rising from 9.430 million to 9.680 million, reflecting a 4.7% growth over the year.

Higher education also recorded a 3.8% increase in admissions. The total number of schools in Pakistan increased from 4.220 million in 2023 to 4.890 million in 2024.

Higher education snapshot

The total number of universities across Pakistan rose to 269, including 160 public and 109 private institutions. However, the report points out that only 37.97% of faculty members hold PhD degrees — an indicator of limited research capacity and academic advancement.

Also Read: 23% of Pakistani schools lack electricity, 22% without toilets

An amount of Rs61.1 billion was spent on higher education during the fiscal year, which, according to experts, is insufficient given the growing demands of a youthful population and rapidly evolving global academic standards.

Literacy rates: Rural-urban divide persists

While overall literacy rates saw modest improvements, a wide gap remains between rural and urban populations, and between genders and regions.

Urban literacy rate (2023): 74.9%
Rural literacy rate (2023): 51.56%

In rural areas, literacy among males stood at 61.2%, compared to 41.62% among females. Literacy rate among transgenders was 40.15% -- 325 in rural areas, 42.4% in urban areas.

Provincial breakdown

Punjab had the highest literacy rate among provinces in 2023 at 66.25%, with:

Males: 71.98%
Females: 60.19%
Transgender: 41.3%

In Punjab’s rural areas:

Male literacy: 65.9%
Female literacy: 50.51%

Sindh showed a literacy rate of 57.94% in 2023, with stark contrasts between rural and urban areas:

Rural: 38.14%
- Male: 48.6%
- Female: 27%
- Transgender: 27%
Urban: 72.26%
- Transgender: 39.28%

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) recorded an overall literacy rate of 51% in the same year, with urban areas showing 65.55% literacy:

Male literacy: 62.55%
Female literacy: 33.76%
Transgender literacy: 39.26%

In rural KP, the literacy rate is 48%.

Balochistan remained the most educationally disadvantaged province with a 42% literacy rate:

Male: 50%
Female: 32%
Transgender: 24%
Rural literacy: 35.74%
Urban literacy: 55.86%