New Delhi: A staggering 63 per cent of Pakistan’s youth population and 23 per cent of adolescents have never received any formal education — highlighting a deep and persistent crisis that continues to push millions of young people to the margins of society, according to the country’s Census 2023 data, media reports said.
The figures show that out-of-school adolescents and youth, often referred to as OOSAY, remain one of the most neglected groups in policy planning.
The situation is even more alarming for women, with nearly three out of four females aged 15 to 29 never having enrolled in school, compared to around half of men, Dawn reported.
Experts say these numbers reflect not just gaps in education, but lifelong exclusion from decent work, healthcare and meaningful participation in society, as per the report.
A recent needs assessment conducted by Sustainable Development Policy Institute in collaboration with UNFPA examined the challenges faced by OOSAY in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
The study aimed to understand what kind of support these young people themselves believe they need to re-enter education, employment, health services and civic life.
The findings show that financial hardship is the biggest reason young people are pushed out of school, affecting nearly three-quarters of respondents.
These problems are made worse by household responsibilities, work pressure, lack of nearby schools, long travel distances, unsafe transport and social norms, especially for girls.
Early marriage and fear of harassment further restrict girls’ access to education. The impact of being out of school is sharply different for boys and girls.
Many boys are forced into early, physically demanding and low-paid labour to support their families.
Nearly two-thirds of male respondents said they felt strong pressure to earn from a young age.
Girls, on the other hand, are burdened with unpaid domestic and caregiving work. The study found that over 85 per cent of female OOSAY spend most of their day doing household chores, leaving little or no time for education or paid work.
Early marriage is common, with the median marriage age for girls in the study found to be 18 years.
Lack of education continues to hurt employment prospects. Almost three-quarters of OOSAY reported having no access to paid work, including an overwhelming majority of women.
Those who do work are mostly in unstable and informal jobs, often earning less than Rs25,000 a month despite working long hours.
Many rely on daily wages with no job security, safety measures or chances to learn useful skills.
The study also highlighted the absence of alternative learning options. More than 90 per cent of respondents said they had never joined any vocational or skills training programme.
Health outcomes are equally worrying. Many OOSAY suffer from malnutrition, chronic pain and mental health issues, but cannot access proper healthcare due to cost, mobility issues and lack of awareness.
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