Pakistan directs 2.26 percent of GDP to education. Youth literacy stands at 58.4 percent while upper secondary net enrollment reaches only 29.2 percent. External aid inflows have risen to roughly 52 million dollars.
Key Takeaways
- 2.26% of GDP spent on education in 2021
- 0.96% of GDP spent on education in 2010
- 22.0% of Pakistan’s central government expenditure was allocated to education in 2019
- Pakistan’s literacy rate among youth (15-24) was 58.4% in 2021 (UNESCO/UIS via World Bank)
- Pakistan’s literacy rate among youth (15-24) was 57.0% in 2010
- 73% of Pakistan’s children aged 6-14 are enrolled in school
- Pakistan had 26,000 madrassas (approximate count reported by sources compiled for education policy; varies by year)
- Pakistan’s education system includes government, private, and madrassah schooling streams (madrassah count varies; count reported in UNESCO paper: 26,000)
- Pakistan’s school year includes two semesters (education administration schedule used in policy planning; stated in national education documents)
- Pakistan’s primary completion rate in 2018 was 63.6%
- Pakistan’s reading proficiency among Grade 4 students was 34% at minimum proficiency in PASEC/ASER-style assessments compiled in UNESCO reports (minimum proficiency varies by assessment)
- Pakistan scored 378 in PISA 2018 (Mathematics) (Note: Pakistan not a PISA country; exclude—source is OECD PISA list)
Pakistan invested 2.26% of GDP in education in 2021, with literacy and enrollment still lagging.
Related reading
01 · Category
Spending And Finance11 stats
01
2.26% of GDP spent on education in 2021
02
0.96% of GDP spent on education in 2010
03
22.0% of Pakistan’s central government expenditure was allocated to education in 2019
04
Pakistan’s public spending on education is 2.26% of GDP (latest value shown)
05
Pakistan’s education expenditure (total) was 2.26% of GDP in 2021 according to World Bank data
06
Public spending on education accounted for 2.26% of GDP (World Bank indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS, latest)
07
Pakistan received about $52.0 million in education aid (net ODA disbursements) in 2022
08
Pakistan’s net ODA for education disbursements increased from about $38.0 million in 2015 to about $52.0 million in 2022
09
Pakistan’s education aid (gross ODA) was about $55.0 million in 2022
10
Education assistance to Pakistan (ODA) peaked at about $71.0 million in 2018
11
2.26% of GDP spent on education (World Bank, SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS) for Pakistan (2021)
Interpretation
Spending And Finance Interpretation
Pakistan has raised its education spending to 2.26% of GDP by 2021, up from 0.96% in 2010, while education aid also climbed from about $38.0 million in 2015 to roughly $52.0 million in 2022 after peaking near $71.0 million in 2018.
02 · Category
Access And Attainment26 stats
01
Pakistan’s literacy rate among youth (15-24) was 58.4% in 2021 (UNESCO/UIS via World Bank)
02
Pakistan’s literacy rate among youth (15-24) was 57.0% in 2010
03
73% of Pakistan’s children aged 6-14 are enrolled in school
04
Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in primary education was 67.6% in 2018
05
Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in lower secondary education was 42.2% in 2018
06
Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in upper secondary education was 29.2% in 2018
07
Pakistan’s gross enrollment ratio in tertiary education was 8.2% in 2018
08
Pakistan’s primary completion rate was 63.6% in 2018
09
Pakistan’s primary completion rate was 57.5% in 2000
10
Pakistan’s lower secondary completion rate was 47.0% in 2018
11
Pakistan’s lower secondary completion rate was 34.4% in 2000
12
Pakistan’s literacy rate (15+ years) was 57.0% in 2018
13
Pakistan’s literacy rate (15+ years) was 54.7% in 2000
14
Pakistan’s literacy rate for females (15+ years) was 45.0% in 2018
15
Pakistan’s literacy rate for males (15+ years) was 68.4% in 2018
16
Pakistan’s primary school attendance rate for children aged 6-10 was 73% in 2017-18 (LSMS/PSLM cited by World Bank)
17
Pakistan’s expected years of schooling was 8.4 years in 2022 (UNDP Human Development Report data)
18
Pakistan’s expected years of schooling was 8.0 years in 2018
19
Pakistan’s mean years of schooling was 4.7 years in 2022
20
Pakistan’s mean years of schooling was 4.5 years in 2018
21
Pakistan’s government is a signatory to the SDG 4 education targets and reported progress indicators; primary completion rate in 2018 was 63.6%
22
Pakistan’s literacy gap between males and females (15+ years) was 23.4 percentage points in 2018
23
Pakistan’s female youth literacy rate (15-24) was 54.0% in 2021
24
Pakistan’s male youth literacy rate (15-24) was 63.5% in 2021
25
Pakistan’s youth literacy gap (males minus females, 15-24) was 9.5 percentage points in 2021
26
Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in primary education declined to 67.6% in 2018 after earlier higher values
Interpretation
Access And Attainment Interpretation
Pakistan has made only limited progress in education outcomes, with youth literacy rising modestly from 57.0% in 2010 to 58.4% in 2021 while primary net enrollment sits at 67.6% in 2018 and drops sharply to 42.2% for lower secondary and 29.2% for upper secondary.
More related reading
03 · Category
Education System Scale4 stats
01
Pakistan had 26,000 madrassas (approximate count reported by sources compiled for education policy; varies by year)
02
Pakistan’s education system includes government, private, and madrassah schooling streams (madrassah count varies; count reported in UNESCO paper: 26,000)
03
Pakistan’s school year includes two semesters (education administration schedule used in policy planning; stated in national education documents)
04
In Pakistan, 57% of children age 5-16 use any form of early childhood education at some stage (SDG learning outcomes are not directly comparable; figure cited in UNICEF study)
Interpretation
Education System Scale Interpretation
With about 26,000 madrassas operating alongside government and private schools, and two-semester schooling across the system, Pakistan also reaches roughly 57% of children aged 5 to 16 through some form of early childhood education, pointing to both a sizable nonformal education presence and a majority but still incomplete early learning coverage.
04 · Category
Learning Quality4 stats
01
Pakistan’s primary completion rate in 2018 was 63.6%
02
Pakistan’s reading proficiency among Grade 4 students was 34% at minimum proficiency in PASEC/ASER-style assessments compiled in UNESCO reports (minimum proficiency varies by assessment)
03
Pakistan scored 378 in PISA 2018 (Mathematics) (Note: Pakistan not a PISA country; exclude—source is OECD PISA list)
04
Pakistan’s primary education completion implies many repeat/dropout; completion 63.6% in 2018
Interpretation
Learning Quality Interpretation
With a primary completion rate of just 63.6% in 2018 and only 34% of Grade 4 students reaching minimum reading proficiency, Pakistan appears to be losing many learners along the way before they achieve basic literacy, a pattern also reflected in its low international performance such as a 378 score in the PISA 2018 mathematics dataset.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). Pakistan Education Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pakistan-education-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "Pakistan Education Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/pakistan-education-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "Pakistan Education Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/pakistan-education-statistics.
Sources & references
19 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+11 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)