The Chief Minister of Balochistan, Mir Sarfraz Bugti, has announced a significant improvement in the province’s education sector, revealing that the number of out-of-school children has declined by 14 percent — the first such reduction in Balochistan’s history.
In a message shared on X (formerly Twitter), the chief minister said the positive results of the provincial government’s education-focused policies are now becoming visible. He cited findings from the latest Household Integrated Economic Survey as evidence of the progress.
Last year, Balochistan’s Education Minister Rahila Hameed Khan Durrani voiced serious concern over the province’s alarmingly high number of out-of-school children and the absence of credible education data, warning that both issues are obstructing efforts to tackle the student dropout crisis.
Education in Balochistan faces entrenched challenges, including a literacy rate of just 42 per cent (Economic Survey 2024-25), acute gender disparities, and a shortage of trained teachers. According to the Balochistan Education Statistics 2022-23 report, more than one-fifth of schools in the province — 22.1pc — remain non-functional, pointing to serious infrastructure gaps.
Out-of-School Rate Falls from 59% to 45%
According to the survey data referenced by the CM, the percentage of children deprived of education in Balochistan has dropped from 59 percent to 45 percent, marking a major milestone for the province, which has long struggled with low enrollment and school retention rates.
Mir Sarfraz Bugti described the development as encouraging, attributing it to serious policymaking and practical implementation, including targeted interventions to improve access to schools.
No School Closure, No Child Left Behind
The chief minister emphasized that the provincial administration is making every possible effort to ensure that no school remains closed and no child is left out of the education system.
He reiterated that the government is focusing on:
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Rehabilitation of non-functional schools
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Increasing enrollment rates
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Strengthening governance and monitoring
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Continuing education sector reforms
Reforms to Continue
Reaffirming his resolve, CM Sarfraz Bugti said the education reform process will continue across the province, with the ultimate goal of ensuring every child in Balochistan receives their fundamental right to education.
