Pakistan’s dream of becoming an educated and progressive nation fades each year as thousands — in fact, millions — of young students vanish from the education system after completing their Secondary School Certificate (Matric) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (Intermediate) examinations. These are not mere statistics; they are the stories of shattered dreams and wasted potential — the faces of youth who once aspired to contribute to their country’s growth but are now struggling for survival on the streets.

According to UNICEF and Pakistan’s Planning Commission, the number of out-of-school or dropout children has crossed 23 million, one of the highest in the world. At the secondary level, the dropout rate stands at 41%, while only 37% of students who enroll at the higher secondary level actually complete their education. In contrast, Bangladesh has a dropout rate of around 25%, and India’s is 28% — making Pakistan the worst performer in South Asia in terms of educational continuity.

The reasons behind this alarming situation are multiple and interconnected — rising educational expenses, lack of nearby colleges, outdated curriculum, limited access to vocational and technical education, and the complete absence of career counseling. Many parents, especially in rural areas, are forced to pull their children out of school early due to economic pressures, pushing them into low-paying, unskilled labor jobs to support household income.

Girls in rural Pakistan are the worst affected victims of this educational collapse. In several districts of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the female dropout rate has reached 50–60%. This is not just an educational crisis but a generational tragedy — a silent burial of countless dreams that could have built the nation’s future.

The issue of school dropout has now evolved from an educational concern into a socio-economic crisis. The youth who leave school midway are neither skilled enough for decent employment nor qualified to pursue higher studies. Consequently, they become part of an expanding class of disillusioned and economically excluded citizens. The World Bank estimates that if Pakistan manages to equip even half of its dropout youth with technical or vocational skills, the country’s GDP could grow by 2.5% annually.

Despite years of rhetoric about “Education for All,” Pakistan’s public expenditure on education remains at only 1.7% of GDP, one of the lowest in South Asia. The result is evident — dilapidated schools, a shortage of trained teachers, outdated syllabi, and a lack of effective technical and vocational institutions. The nation’s youth are being left directionless, disconnected from both education and employment.

The solution is neither complex nor unattainable. What is missing is commitment. Pakistan urgently needs a National Dropout Reintegration Plan — a comprehensive policy framework to bring back the lost youth into education or vocational training. Scholarships for underprivileged students, expansion of technical colleges, affordable transport facilities, career guidance programs, and modernized skill-development centers are critical needs of the hour.

This is not a matter of educational reform alone — it is a matter of national survival. Every dropout youth is a lost national asset, a mind that could have built industries, innovated solutions, or led communities. When a nation fails to invest in its youth, it quietly destroys its own foundation.

This is a final warning to Pakistan’s policymakers — the nation can no longer afford the cost of neglect. Each passing year produces a new “dropout generation,” trapped in cycles of unemployment, despair, and deprivation. These young people are not a burden; they are our lost national assets. If we do not act now, the day is not far when Pakistan’s streets will become classrooms for its forgotten youth — learning not hope, but survival.

Dr. Alamdar Hussain Malik
Advisor, Veterinary Sciences
University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Swat