New Delhi: Along with economic problems, education problems are also arising in neighboring country Pakistan. According to the latest report, about 2.53 crore children aged 5 to 16 years are not going to school in Pakistan. It is being told that the worst situation among them is of those coming from rural areas. This has been revealed in the report 'The Missing Third of Pakistan'. Let us tell you that Pak Alliance for Maths and Science has prepared this report on the basis of 2023 census data.

The report reveals a significant issue within Pakistan's education system, stating that the majority of Pakistani children, 74 percent, live in rural areas. Efforts to boost enrollment in these areas face major obstacles. Problems such as poverty and limited access to schools in these areas are hindering children.

More impact on children aged 5 to 9 years

The data also shows that the rural-urban divide in education is growing, with nearly 18.8 million out-of-school children living in rural areas. The report further states that children aged 5 to 9 years are particularly at risk, with 51 per cent of them having never attended school. Worryingly, 50 per cent of children have either dropped out or are no longer attending school.

80 percent of girls have never gone to school

The report also highlights that, particularly in some tehsils of Pakistan, 80 per cent of girls aged 5 to 16 have never attended school, underlining the deep-rooted gender inequality in access to education. Urban areas, often considered better equipped for education, have also been affected. Cities such as Karachi and Lahore, despite being provincial capitals with more educational resources, still have large numbers of children not attending school.