Pakistan’s Literacy Crisis Deepens Amid Policy Failures, Inequality, and Underinvestment
by Dr. Muhammad Afzal Babar
Pakistan is facing a worsening literacy crisis, with progress stalled for more than a decade and tens of millions of adults and children left without access to basic education. Experts attribute the stagnation to chronic under investment, poverty, gender inequality, child labor, political instability, and repeated policy disruptions, and warn that urgent reforms are needed to reverse the decline.
The challenge mirrors global concerns, as international estimates suggest that hundreds of millions of adults worldwide still lack basic literacy and tens of millions of children remain out of school. Advocates emphasize the need to harness digital tools to expand learning opportunities, improve outcomes, and address persistent gaps.
In Pakistan, official and independent data suggest literacy rates remain stuck in the low 60s percent, leaving tens of millions functionally illiterate. The gender gap is pronounced, with men significantly more literate than women, while rural and disaster-affected regions continue to face the sharpest deficits. Analysts say the combination of economic hardship, cultural barriers, and weak governance has created an education system that fails to deliver consistent progress.
The stagnation is rooted in structural and policy shortcomings. Persistent poverty and limited public investment reduce access and quality. Gender inequality and entrenched social norms discourage girls’ education, while child labor and inadequate facilities hinder continuity. Frequent curriculum and examination changes disrupt learning, and political instability prevents the development of a long-term education strategy. Past commitments, such as the constitutional guarantee of free and compulsory education and the declaration of an education emergency, have faltered due to shifting political priorities and weak follow-through.
Natural disasters, particularly floods, have further derailed progress. Large swathes of educational infrastructure have been damaged, leaving millions of children without safe classrooms and communities struggling to recover. Analysts warn that reconstruction efforts remain incomplete, compounding existing inequalities in access to quality education.
The private and nonstate sector plays a major role in Pakistan’s schooling system, educating millions of children and easing public sector pressures. However, tensions persist between state and private providers, with critics warning that outsourcing without oversight risks undermining equity and quality. Calls for stronger partnerships and regulatory frameworks have gone largely unanswered.
Experts recommend practical steps to break the cycle of stagnation. Increasing public investment, stabilizing curricula and examinations, improving teacher training, and developing a unified data system to monitor learning are critical. Digital technology is seen as a vital tool for extending access to marginalized groups, improving accountability, and addressing gaps in infrastructure and resources. Yet this requires equitable access to devices, internet connectivity, and inclusive policies to ensure disadvantaged groups are not left behind.
Public-private partnerships, local governance reform, and stronger engagement with civil society are considered essential for delivering education effectively. Reformers argue that empowering municipal and district administrations with authority and resources could improve responsiveness and help scale sustainable solutions.
Education advocates frame these reforms not only as economic and social necessities but also as moral imperatives. Literacy, they argue, is a fundamental right that underpins human freedom, social cohesion, and economic opportunity. Without urgent action, Pakistan risks leaving a generation behind, missing the potential of its young population, and continuing to lag behind regional peers.
