Cities & Regions

Which Pakistani province has the highest out-of-school rate?

Last reviewed:

Answer

Direct answer

UNICEF estimates 9.7 million out-of-school children in Punjab, or 27% of the provincial 5–16 population; 7.4 million in Sindh, or 44%; 4.5 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, or 34%; 3.5 million in Balochistan, or nearly 69%; and about 0.09 million in Islamabad, or 15%. Punjab has the largest absolute number, while Balochistan has the highest proportional exclusion. Counts and rates answer different questions and should be reported together.

69%Balochistan out-of-school share, ages 5–16
Evidence

Sources used

International Organization · Live source

Education in Pakistan

UNICEF Pakistan

Live UNICEF education page: 25.1 million children aged 5–16 out of school (35%). This estimate is a separate series from HIES 2024–25; do not combine their counts or percentages.

Source checked:

View source
Government Data · 2021

Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement Survey 2019–20

Pakistan Bureau of Statistics

Government survey source for literacy, education and household living-standard indicators.View source
Useful next steps

Continue from this answer

Keep reading

Other Knowledge questions

Education & MatrimonyWhy do literacy and education statistics matter when studying marriage age?

PSLM and HIES measure literacy, attendance, enrolment, attainment and out-of-school status. The latest HIES 2024–25 social report puts literacy at 63% for people aged 10+, including 73%…

Read answerEducation & MatrimonyAre younger Pakistanis more literate than older generations?

HIES 2024–25 reports 77% literacy among young people aged 15–24 and 60% among adults aged 15+. The overall age-10+ measure is 63%. These denominators differ: adults include older…

Read answerEducation & MatrimonyWhat does “out of school” mean in Pakistan’s education data?

The measure covers children aged 5–16 who never attended school or attended and left. The latest HIES 2024–25 report estimates 28% nationally, compared with 30% in its 2018–19 comparison…

Read answerEducation & MatrimonyHow many children in Pakistan are out of school?

UNICEF currently estimates that 25.1 million children aged 5–16 in Pakistan are out of school, representing about 35% of that age group. It describes Pakistan as having one...

Read answerFamily & SocietyHow does Pakistan count women’s work in official labour statistics?

The Labour Force Survey measures participation, employment, unemployment, hours, occupation, industry and related demographic characteristics. Its 2024–25 current-standard tables…

Read answerFamily & SocietyHow large is Pakistan’s gender gap in employment?

PBS’s Labour Force Survey 2024–25 reports labour-force participation of 22.7% for women and 68.7% for men aged 10 and above, a 46-percentage-point gap. These current-standard rates…

Read answer
More topics

Browse other Knowledge topics

Move across related topics when a question needs practical, family, document, safety, regional or research context.

Rishta Process

Practical answers about proposals, first conversations, family meetings and respectful next steps.

15 answersCompatibility & Life Partner Choice

Questions to help people discuss values, expectations, work, finances, residence and future plans.

22 answersFamily & Society

Family participation, parent and sibling roles, social expectations and respectful decision-making.

77 answersSafety & Verification

Practical guidance on identity checks, safe communication, fraud signals and verification limits.

58 answersNikah, Law & Documents

Carefully scoped answers about Nikah Nama, marriage certificates, official records and where to verify rules.

10 answersWedding Customs & Events

Human answers about nikah, rukhsati, walima, engagement, budgets, guest lists and regional customs.

45 answersDigital Matrimony

Online rishta search, privacy, structured profiles, communication stages and family-assisted accounts.

30 answersOverseas Pakistanis & Marriage

Marriage and matrimonial questions involving overseas Pakistanis, answered only where evidence supports them.

30 answersAge & Marriage

Marriage age, partner-age preferences, child-marriage indicators and age-range interpretation.

32 answersEducation & Matrimony

Education in profiles, partner preferences, literacy context and how not to overread education data.

27 answersLife Partner Preferences

How saved partner preferences, filters and family criteria should be understood without overclaiming.

31 answersMarriage Data & Demographics

Population, survey and platform-data context for marriage questions across Pakistan.

34 answersMarriage Trends

Short explanations of measured matrimonial trends and the limits of trend claims.

27 answersWedding Dresses & Attire

Explore bridal and groom wedding dresses, ceremony dress codes, fittings, rentals and garment care through short, sourced answers for Pakistani families.

60 answersBridal & Wedding Jewellery

Read short, sourced answers about bridal jewellery, gold-buying checks, gemstones, wedding jewellery choices, receipts and safeguarding family purchases.

36 answersWedding Shopping

Practical purchasing, orders, delivery and supplier checks.

12 answersWedding Venues & Marriage Halls

Explore wedding venues and marriage-hall planning questions: booking contracts, guest capacity, accessibility, decor, sound and safe event arrangements.

36 answersWedding Catering

Menus, meal service, dietary needs and food safety.

24 answersWedding Gift Ideas & Etiquette

Explore wedding gift ideas and practical etiquette through short answers about voluntary gifts, cash, registries, records and respectful family expectations.

24 answersInvitations & Wedding Media

Invitations, RSVP, photography, video and sharing permissions.

24 answersWedding Travel

Guest accommodation, transport and cross-border travel planning.

12 answersBridal Makeup & Wedding Grooming

Read concise answers about bridal makeup bookings, trials, product questions, hygiene, comfort and wedding grooming, with sources and practical cautions.

12 answers