How Many Government Schools in Pakistan?

According to the Pakistan Education Statistics 2015-16, the total number of government schools in Pakistan is 154,239. This includes primary (101,511), middle (28, acularly 3), secondary (22,725), and higher secondary (1,380) level institutions. The majority of government schools are located in rural areas – 113,706 out of the total 154,239.

This is because access to education is often poorer in rural regions and so the government makes a greater effort to provide schooling options in these areas. In terms of gender balance, there are slightly more boys’ schools than girls’ schools at the primary and secondary levels; however, at the higher secondary level there are more girls’ schools than boys’ schools. There has been an overall increase in the number of government schools over recent years.

In 2010-11 there were 146,032 government institutions whereas by 2015-16 this had risen to 154,239 – an increase of 8%. The highest growth was seen at the lower secondary level where numbers increased from 20,764 in 2010-11 to 28,393 in 2015-16 – a rise of 37%. The presence of private schools has also increased over time and they now make up a significant proportion of all institutions across Pakistan.

In 2010-11 there were 42,288 private institutions compared to 50,727 in 2015-16 – an increase of 19%. At the higher secondary level 92% of students attend private institutions. It is clear that many parents prefer to send their children to private rather than public sector schools if they have the means to do so.

The rising cost of living and decreasing purchasing power parity may be dissuading some parents from sending their children – particularly daughters – to school beyond primary level as they may not be able afford it or see it as being value for money.

Conclusion

Pakistani schools are in a state of disrepair, with many students not receiving an adequate education. The government needs to invest more money into the education system in order to improve the quality of schooling for all Pakistani children.