Over 26 Million Children in Pakistan Still Out of School
Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui Provides Details
Pakistan’s Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has revealed that more than 26 million children are still out of school across the country. Despite various measures and commitments by the government, this number has not decreased.
Statistics on Out-of-School Children
Education Minister Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui provided a written reply to the National Assembly, stating that 26.20 million children are out of school. This includes:
- 10.77 million children aged 5-9 years
- 4.93 million children aged 10-12 years
- 4.5 million children aged 13-14 years
- 6 million children aged 13-16 years
Efforts to Improve Education
In response to a question by Member of National Assembly Shahida Rehmani, the minister mentioned that the Federal Directorate of Education has established 200 computer labs in educational institutions to teach coding skills, particularly to help girls acquire IT and entrepreneurial skills.
Ongoing Education Crisis
Earlier reports indicated that Pakistan is facing an unprecedented education crisis, with 25.3 million children aged 5-16 years out of school, making up 36% of the total school-age population. The crisis is more severe in rural areas, where female literacy is already low. About 53% of the out-of-school children are girls.
Doubts Revealed
Pakistan -: Pakistan is a country in South Asia, located next to India. It has a large population and faces many challenges, including in education.
Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training -: This is a part of the government in Pakistan that looks after schools, colleges, and other educational institutions. They make rules and plans to improve education in the country.
Education Minister -: An Education Minister is a person in the government who is responsible for making sure that schools and colleges run well. In this case, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is the Education Minister of Pakistan.
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui -: Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui is a politician in Pakistan who is currently serving as the Education Minister. He is responsible for overseeing the education system in the country.
26 million children -: This means that a very large number of children, more than the population of many countries, are not going to school in Pakistan.
Computer labs -: These are special rooms in schools with computers where students can learn about technology and how to use computers. The government has set up 200 of these labs to help girls learn IT skills.
IT skills -: IT stands for Information Technology. IT skills are the abilities needed to use computers and other technology effectively. Learning these skills can help people get good jobs in the future.
Rural areas -: These are places in the countryside, away from cities and towns. In rural areas, there are often fewer schools and resources, making it harder for children to get a good education.
Female literacy -: Literacy means being able to read and write. Female literacy refers to the number of girls and women who can read and write. In some places, fewer girls go to school, so female literacy is low.
