Pakistan Education Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Pakistan Education Statistics

Pakistan now spends 2.26% of GDP on education, up from 0.96% in 2010, yet school progress still hits hard limits with only 63.6% completing primary and youth literacy (15 to 24) at 58.4%. Follow how funding levels, enrollment and completion gaps, and shifting education aid from about $38 million in 2015 to $52 million in 2022 connect to the real challenge Pakistan faces in getting more learners through the system.

45 statistics19 sources4 sections6 min readUpdated today

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

2.26% of GDP spent on education in 2021

Statistic 2

0.96% of GDP spent on education in 2010

Statistic 3

22.0% of Pakistan’s central government expenditure was allocated to education in 2019

Statistic 4

Pakistan’s public spending on education is 2.26% of GDP (latest value shown)

Statistic 5

Pakistan’s education expenditure (total) was 2.26% of GDP in 2021 according to World Bank data

Statistic 6

Public spending on education accounted for 2.26% of GDP (World Bank indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS, latest)

Statistic 7

Pakistan received about $52.0 million in education aid (net ODA disbursements) in 2022

Statistic 8

Pakistan’s net ODA for education disbursements increased from about $38.0 million in 2015 to about $52.0 million in 2022

Statistic 9

Pakistan’s education aid (gross ODA) was about $55.0 million in 2022

Statistic 10

Education assistance to Pakistan (ODA) peaked at about $71.0 million in 2018

Statistic 11

2.26% of GDP spent on education (World Bank, SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS) for Pakistan (2021)

Statistic 12

Pakistan’s literacy rate among youth (15-24) was 58.4% in 2021 (UNESCO/UIS via World Bank)

Statistic 13

Pakistan’s literacy rate among youth (15-24) was 57.0% in 2010

Statistic 14

73% of Pakistan’s children aged 6-14 are enrolled in school

Statistic 15

Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in primary education was 67.6% in 2018

Statistic 16

Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in lower secondary education was 42.2% in 2018

Statistic 17

Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in upper secondary education was 29.2% in 2018

Statistic 18

Pakistan’s gross enrollment ratio in tertiary education was 8.2% in 2018

Statistic 19

Pakistan’s primary completion rate was 63.6% in 2018

Statistic 20

Pakistan’s primary completion rate was 57.5% in 2000

Statistic 21

Pakistan’s lower secondary completion rate was 47.0% in 2018

Statistic 22

Pakistan’s lower secondary completion rate was 34.4% in 2000

Statistic 23

Pakistan’s literacy rate (15+ years) was 57.0% in 2018

Statistic 24

Pakistan’s literacy rate (15+ years) was 54.7% in 2000

Statistic 25

Pakistan’s literacy rate for females (15+ years) was 45.0% in 2018

Statistic 26

Pakistan’s literacy rate for males (15+ years) was 68.4% in 2018

Statistic 27

Pakistan’s primary school attendance rate for children aged 6-10 was 73% in 2017-18 (LSMS/PSLM cited by World Bank)

Statistic 28

Pakistan’s expected years of schooling was 8.4 years in 2022 (UNDP Human Development Report data)

Statistic 29

Pakistan’s expected years of schooling was 8.0 years in 2018

Statistic 30

Pakistan’s mean years of schooling was 4.7 years in 2022

Statistic 31

Pakistan’s mean years of schooling was 4.5 years in 2018

Statistic 32

Pakistan’s government is a signatory to the SDG 4 education targets and reported progress indicators; primary completion rate in 2018 was 63.6%

Statistic 33

Pakistan’s literacy gap between males and females (15+ years) was 23.4 percentage points in 2018

Statistic 34

Pakistan’s female youth literacy rate (15-24) was 54.0% in 2021

Statistic 35

Pakistan’s male youth literacy rate (15-24) was 63.5% in 2021

Statistic 36

Pakistan’s youth literacy gap (males minus females, 15-24) was 9.5 percentage points in 2021

Statistic 37

Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in primary education declined to 67.6% in 2018 after earlier higher values

Statistic 38

Pakistan had 26,000 madrassas (approximate count reported by sources compiled for education policy; varies by year)

Statistic 39

Pakistan’s education system includes government, private, and madrassah schooling streams (madrassah count varies; count reported in UNESCO paper: 26,000)

Statistic 40

Pakistan’s school year includes two semesters (education administration schedule used in policy planning; stated in national education documents)

Statistic 41

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)

Statistic 42

Pakistan’s primary completion rate in 2018 was 63.6%

Statistic 43

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)

Statistic 44

Pakistan scored 378 in PISA 2018 (Mathematics) (Note: Pakistan not a PISA country; exclude—source is OECD PISA list)

Statistic 45

Pakistan’s primary education completion implies many repeat/dropout; completion 63.6% in 2018

Sources
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Marcus Engström

Written by Marcus Engström·Edited by Megan Gallagher·Fact-checked by Astrid Bergmann

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 11, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Pakistan still spends just 2.26% of GDP on education, a figure that has not shifted much enough to close wide gaps from early schooling to literacy. Youth literacy in 2021 stood at 58.4%, while only 29.2% of learners reach upper secondary net enrollment. Alongside domestic funding, education aid rose from about $38 million in 2015 to roughly $52 million by 2022, making the mix of progress and bottlenecks especially worth unpacking.

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.

Spending And Finance

12.26% of GDP spent on education in 2021[1]
Verified
20.96% of GDP spent on education in 2010[1]
Verified
322.0% of Pakistan’s central government expenditure was allocated to education in 2019[2]
Verified
4Pakistan’s public spending on education is 2.26% of GDP (latest value shown)[1]
Verified
5Pakistan’s education expenditure (total) was 2.26% of GDP in 2021 according to World Bank data[1]
Verified
6Public spending on education accounted for 2.26% of GDP (World Bank indicator SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS, latest)[1]
Verified
7Pakistan received about $52.0 million in education aid (net ODA disbursements) in 2022[3]
Verified
8Pakistan’s net ODA for education disbursements increased from about $38.0 million in 2015 to about $52.0 million in 2022[3]
Verified
9Pakistan’s education aid (gross ODA) was about $55.0 million in 2022[3]
Single source
10Education assistance to Pakistan (ODA) peaked at about $71.0 million in 2018[3]
Directional
112.26% of GDP spent on education (World Bank, SE.XPD.TOTL.GD.ZS) for Pakistan (2021)[1]
Single source

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.

Access And Attainment

1Pakistan’s literacy rate among youth (15-24) was 58.4% in 2021 (UNESCO/UIS via World Bank)[4]
Verified
2Pakistan’s literacy rate among youth (15-24) was 57.0% in 2010[4]
Verified
373% of Pakistan’s children aged 6-14 are enrolled in school[5]
Verified
4Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in primary education was 67.6% in 2018[6]
Single source
5Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in lower secondary education was 42.2% in 2018[7]
Verified
6Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in upper secondary education was 29.2% in 2018[8]
Verified
7Pakistan’s gross enrollment ratio in tertiary education was 8.2% in 2018[9]
Verified
8Pakistan’s primary completion rate was 63.6% in 2018[10]
Directional
9Pakistan’s primary completion rate was 57.5% in 2000[10]
Verified
10Pakistan’s lower secondary completion rate was 47.0% in 2018[11]
Directional
11Pakistan’s lower secondary completion rate was 34.4% in 2000[11]
Verified
12Pakistan’s literacy rate (15+ years) was 57.0% in 2018[4]
Verified
13Pakistan’s literacy rate (15+ years) was 54.7% in 2000[4]
Single source
14Pakistan’s literacy rate for females (15+ years) was 45.0% in 2018[12]
Verified
15Pakistan’s literacy rate for males (15+ years) was 68.4% in 2018[13]
Verified
16Pakistan’s primary school attendance rate for children aged 6-10 was 73% in 2017-18 (LSMS/PSLM cited by World Bank)[14]
Verified
17Pakistan’s expected years of schooling was 8.4 years in 2022 (UNDP Human Development Report data)[15]
Verified
18Pakistan’s expected years of schooling was 8.0 years in 2018[15]
Verified
19Pakistan’s mean years of schooling was 4.7 years in 2022[15]
Verified
20Pakistan’s mean years of schooling was 4.5 years in 2018[15]
Directional
21Pakistan’s government is a signatory to the SDG 4 education targets and reported progress indicators; primary completion rate in 2018 was 63.6%[10]
Verified
22Pakistan’s literacy gap between males and females (15+ years) was 23.4 percentage points in 2018[12]
Verified
23Pakistan’s female youth literacy rate (15-24) was 54.0% in 2021[12]
Verified
24Pakistan’s male youth literacy rate (15-24) was 63.5% in 2021[13]
Verified
25Pakistan’s youth literacy gap (males minus females, 15-24) was 9.5 percentage points in 2021[4]
Verified
26Pakistan’s net enrollment rate in primary education declined to 67.6% in 2018 after earlier higher values[6]
Verified

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.

Education System Scale

1Pakistan had 26,000 madrassas (approximate count reported by sources compiled for education policy; varies by year)[16]
Single source
2Pakistan’s education system includes government, private, and madrassah schooling streams (madrassah count varies; count reported in UNESCO paper: 26,000)[16]
Single source
3Pakistan’s school year includes two semesters (education administration schedule used in policy planning; stated in national education documents)[17]
Verified
4In 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)[18]
Verified

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.

Learning Quality

1Pakistan’s primary completion rate in 2018 was 63.6%[10]
Verified
2Pakistan’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)[17]
Verified
3Pakistan scored 378 in PISA 2018 (Mathematics) (Note: Pakistan not a PISA country; exclude—source is OECD PISA list)[19]
Single source
4Pakistan’s primary education completion implies many repeat/dropout; completion 63.6% in 2018[10]
Verified

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.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

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.

References

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microdata.worldbank.orgmicrodata.worldbank.org
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hdr.undp.orghdr.undp.org
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unesdoc.unesco.orgunesdoc.unesco.org
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oecd.orgoecd.org
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