Out-of-school children in Pakistan: the facts

Pakistan has the second-highest number of out-of-school children in the world. UNICEF estimates that 25.1 million children aged 5 to 16 are not in school, about 35% of that age group (UNICEF Pakistan, accessed October 2026).

The government’s own count is higher. The Pakistan Education Statistics Report 2021-22 from the Pakistan Institute of Education puts the number at 26.2 million, or 39% of school-age children (The News, January 2024). The two figures use different years and methods, but both point the same way.

Where the problem is worst

Poverty, gender and geography decide who misses out. Girls, children in poor urban slums and children in rural areas are the most likely never to see a classroom.

Why so many children are out of school

• Cost. Even in public schools, uniforms, books, transport and exam fees are beyond families earning as little as $60–$125 a month.
• Child labour. Children help support the family, working as house help, selling goods or sorting garbage.
• Starting too late. A 9-year-old who has never been to school cannot simply join grade 3. Without help to catch up, they never start.
• Girls’ education. Social pressure keeps many girls at home, especially as they get older.

What works: a bridge into school

Building more schools is not enough for children who have never held a pencil. Street Kids Funds runs Learning Centers in Multan and Peshawar that give out-of-school children aged 4 to 12 two to three years of free catch-up education. When they are ready, they pass the admission tests of mainstream schools, and the Rising Star Scholarship pays every cost of their schooling.

Not every child is able to stay. Over the years some children have left SKF Learning Centers because their families moved away or needed them to help earn a living, and some were not able to keep up with the program’s learning standards. We stay in touch with families wherever we can, and the door remains open.

Since 2018, 93 children have been enrolled at SKF Learning Centers and 58 are in our programs today. 27 have moved into mainstream schools, and 22 study there today as Rising Star Scholars, in grades 4 to 11. Read their stories, or see how $250–$350 a year gives one more child that chance.