Nearly 89,000 children out of school in Islamabad, NA told

ISLAMABAD: Nearly 89,124 children aged between five and 16 are currently out of school in the federal capital, Federal Minister for Education Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui informed the National Assembly.

In a written reply submitted to the House, the minister said the figure covers children from primary to higher secondary level and is based on population data from the 2023 census.

Gender breakdown of out-of-school children

According to the data shared, 47,849 boys in Islamabad are not enrolled in schools, while the number of out-of-school girls stands at 41,275.

Reasons cited for low enrolment

Dr Siddiqui attributed the high number of out-of-school children to the lack of government school facilities in informal settlements and underdeveloped areas of the capital. Limited access to basic educational infrastructure in these localities remains a key factor behind low enrolment, he said.

Every fifth child out of school

Sources said the figures suggest that nearly every fifth child in Islamabad is currently out of school, highlighting persistent challenges in ensuring universal access to education despite the city’s status as the country’s administrative centre.