Islamabad: Pakistan's estimated 21.1 million out-of-school children underscore the urgent need to treat education as a national priority and fulfill the state's constitutional responsibility to ensure access to schooling for all children. The challenge requires sustained policy attention to bring children into the education system and ensure that the constitutional commitment is translated into effective implementation.

This was highlighted at a discussion organized at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad, to mark World Literacy Day on Tuesday. The session, part of IPS's focus on education and human development, expressed particular concern about the growing number of out-of-school children and the state's responsibility to ensure their access to education.

According to credible statistical sources, Pakistan has approximately 21.1 million out-of-school children, a staggering figure that should be a cause for serious concern. This estimate is derived from data from the Household Integrated Economic Survey and projected population figures from the National Institution for Population Studies. The scale of the challenge highlights a significant gap between the country's constitutional commitments and the educational realities faced by millions of children.

The discussion was grounded in Article 25-A of the Constitution of Pakistan, which makes free and compulsory education for children aged five to sixteen a state responsibility. The constitutional provision establishes education not merely as a developmental objective but as a responsibility the state is required to fulfill through effective institutional and policy measures. It also frequently referred to the divine command to acquire knowledge and enhance it through keen observation and objective reasoning.

The participants also underscored Pakistan's international commitment to education through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4, which calls for quality education and lifelong learning opportunities. The convergence of constitutional and international commitments places a clear responsibility on the state to develop effective mechanisms to increase enrolment, reduce exclusion, and ensure that children can benefit from their right to education.

The participants emphasized that the issue of out-of-school children cannot be addressed through enrollment targets alone. It requires sustained attention to the structural factors that keep children outside the formal education system, as well as stronger policy implementation and coordination among relevant institutions.

The initiative forms part of IPS's broader engagement with pressing issues concerning Pakistan's social development and public policy. Through its work on children's education, the institute aims to contribute to informed policy discourse on fulfilling the state's constitutional responsibility and advancing the country's commitments under the global education agenda.

The discussion concluded with remarks by IPS Chairman Khalid Rahman, who emphasized making education a vital national priority. Universal and quality education requires concerted efforts from the government at all levels, its relevant institutions, and society to ensure that no child remains deprived of education, he added.