Invest in the Future: Increase Public Spending on Education Now

With the second-highest number of out-of-school children,  Pakistan is facing a deepening education crisis as around 26 million children are out of school, inadequate infrastructure, outdated curriculum, gender disparity, and an old-fashioned teaching environment. Pakistan’s education system is experiencing a deepening crisis. One of the major reasons is insufficient education outlay.

Under Article 25-A, the constitution of Pakistan mandates free and compulsory education for children aged 5-16. However, the literacy rate in the country is 62% as of 2024, reflecting the severity of education. And those who are even enrolled are not getting a quality education, leaving the country behind in innovation and digital literacy. Amid these challenges, there is an urgent need to increase the national educational budget in this upcoming budget.

Pakistan spent only 1.94% of its GDP on education in 2023/2024. This ratio is quite lower than the recommended share which is 4% of the GDP. Furthermore, only a fraction of allocated funds goes towards development as most of this money is used in routine expenses. Because of low spending, the education system of Pakistan struggles to grow and produce the required outcomes.

When it comes to education financing, provincial disparities also exist. Following the 18th constitutional amendment, the subject of education was assigned to provinces to enable provinces to shape their educational policies accordingly. However, Balochistan, which is considered the most underserved province, has reduced its spending on education which further deteriorated the condition.

Due to limited funding, public schools in Pakistan observe issues such as a lack of basic facilities and the required infrastructure, disturbing the learning environment. Limited resources also affect learning outcomes, besides soaring dropout rates. Poor infrastructure and the lack of basic facilities significantly affect the ratio of girls’ enrollment. Most of these problems stem from insufficient education.

Economic and Social Benefits: Investing in education has both social and economic benefits. If a system is well-funded, it can produce a skilled and knowledgeable workforce that can foster innovation, productivity, and ultimately economic growth. Educated people also contribute to building stronger and stable societies. In the context of Pakistan, we need education for both economic prosperity and social cohesion.

Pakistan is also committed to realizing Sustainable Development Goals. SDG 4 focuses on inclusive and equitable quality education for all. Pakistan aims to meet this objective too. However, countries are expected to spend 4% of their GDP to meet this specific objective. Currently, education outlay in Pakistan is even lower than 2% of the GDP of the country. If Pakistan wants to meet this goal then it is required to enhance its spending on education.

If Pakistan is to eradicate poverty, gender-based disparity, inequality and the growing income gap between rich and poor then it should consider a significant increase in its spending on education to improve our education system, enrol out-of-school children and empower individuals to acquire modern knowledge and skills and develop better careers.

Participation: Education is very important to strengthen democratic values in a country. If people are aware of their rights and duties then they can play a contributing role. Pakistan should also focus on improving the scope and outcome of its education system by addressing problems like insufficient resources to develop critical thinking skills in its citizens, shape democratic values, improve the condition of human rights and prevail a sense of civic participation.

Pakistan is also fighting terrorism and extremism. Education is a powerful force that can be used to address these issues and advance national security and stability. Illiterate and unemployed people are prone to extremist ideologies. Given this, the state needs to improve its education infrastructure to educate people and curb menaces of terrorism and extremism because educated people are more likely to embrace tolerance and seek nonviolent means to resolve issues.

Undoubtedly, technological advancement and innovation are key drivers for economic growth, national development and global competitiveness. Pakistan must invest more to keep pace with the growing demand of the modern world in order to address real-world problems. Pakistan must ensure that today’s youth and coming generations are fully equipped with advanced knowledge and skills to create a brighter and self-reliant future of the country..

Conclusion

The urgent need to increase the share of education in the budget 2025-2026 cannot be overstated. Considering challenges such as millions of out-of-school children, poor learning outcomes and poor infrastructure, the current level of spending falls short of what is needed. Education is, basically, a strategic investment that fosters economic growth, promotes social equality, strengthens democracy and also ensures long-term national stability. Pakistan must prioritize education and increase its share in the upcoming fiscal budget to address prevailing issues.