School enrolment

Pakistan stands 2nd in world ranking of out-of-school children with 57% children in the 3-5 age group not enrolled in any school in the rural areas and 65% mothers being in the illiterate segment , Annual Status of Education Report (Aser), Pakistan revealed these facts. 

They also called for withdrawing teachers from election duties to minimise political interference and promote merit in their appointments.

The program was organized by the Idara Taleem-o-Agahi  and South Asian Forum for Education Development.

A total of 48,650 households were surveyed in 2,500 villages across 84 rural districts. This was the second Aser survey, which also includes data from three cities (Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad etc) for the first time. Children aged 5-16 were tested for language and arithmetic competencies while detailed information was collected about children above 3 years of age. Data was also collected from govt and private schools.

Sharing details of the national survey (rural), ITA programmed director Baela Raza said of the 32,320 children surveyed in the 3 to 5 years age group, 57.30 % were not enrolled in any school. Of those enrolled, 67. 6pc were in government schools, 29.30 % in private schools, 2.70% in religious madressahs and 0.4pc in `other` institutions. Girls` enrollment stood at 42.20 per cent only.

“Among children aged 5, an age at which one expects children to be enrolled in some educational facility, 32.30 pc were not enrolled in any school,” she further told.

Gender disparity, she told, was clearly reflected in the survey. School enrolment for children aged 6 to 16  stood at 80%, comprising 36pc girls and 64pc boys.