Education crisis in Pakistan puts over 26 million children out of school: Video
Over 26 million children in Pakistan, especially in the rural areas are currently out of school, official figures from the government indicate.
In the abundance of this educational apartheid comes a plethora of children as young as 10-year-olds being the breadwinners of their families.
From labour helping on farms, mechanics, and cooking to selling in the markets, children in the village of Abdullah Goth on the outskirts of Karachi do it all.
Apart from the non-profit Roshan Pakistan Foundation school catering to over 2, 500 people in the village, there has been no public or private school to nurture the curious minds of these children.
According to Humaira Bachal, an education advocate, the absence of government infrastructure and GDP allocation for education induces the prevalence of young workers in the village.
"Government infrastructure does not exist in places where there needs to be a school. And GDP that should be allocated to education is not being allocated, and this is why according to reports, we are going through an education crisis and we are not doing enough about it," she said. "Due to the economic crisis, education is no longer our [Pakistan families] top priority, so children are forced to become the primary breadwinners, whether they want to or not. As a result, leaving school becomes the first option."
Despite the obvious blurry lines in the hope of rural areas in Pakistan ever receiving the kind of education witnessed in the cities, the children in Abdullah Goth are optimistic.
10-year-old vegetable seller Taimoor Luqman said, "I will study and get an education, and when I grow up, I want to become a doctor."
On the other hand, Kamran Imran, a bike mechanic told AFP "I am going to learn new skills [at school and at work], and when I grow up, things will be different. I used to work all day, but then school started. Now, I attend school in the morning and work in the afternoon.
Pakistan's literacy rate remains low compared to many other nations. In 2022, literacy rates in Pakistan varied significantly, with Islamabad boasting a high of 96%, while the Torghar District had only 23%.
Gender and regional disparities are evident, with female literacy in tribal areas at just 9.5%, whereas Azad Kashmir enjoys a rate of 91%.
Additionally, Pakistan has the world's second-largest population of out-of-school children, totalling 22.8 million, second only to Nigeria.
