Pakistan faces a serious education emergency.

21% of school-aged children in Pakistan do not receive an education, a right guaranteed in the country’s constitution, while 57% of class 5 children cannot read sentences or do two‐digit division. Over half of all women in Pakistan are illiterate; in rural areas this increases to two-thirds of women. Funding for schools decreased 40% from 2.5% of GDP in 2005 to 1.5% just six years later, less than the annual subsidy given to the national airline.

We know that education holds the power to help people escape poverty, even in the face of adversity. In Pakistan the wages of a literate person are 23% higher than those of an illiterate person. Working women with good literacy skills earned 95% more than women with weak literacy skills. Education allows women to have a greater influence on family size. If Pakistan were to halve inequality in access to education, it would increase its economic growth by 1.7%.

UK Charity CARE Pakistan’s vision is a country where all children have access to high quality education that unlocks their full potential and helps them realise their aspirations.

More Information

carepakistan.org.uk