“Everything that is not forbidden by the laws of nature is achievable, given the right to education.” — David Deutsch

The right to education constitutes a fundamental principle to which every child is entitled within their respective country. Under Article 25A of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, the state is obligated to provide free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of 4 and 16. Similarly, Sections 3 and 4 of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2012 ensure the provision of free and special education, in both formal and non-formal settings, for children who have either never been enrolled or have been unable to complete their education.

Despite these constitutional and legislative provisions, the ground reality remains largely nominal. Approximately 26.6 million children (ages 5–16), including 13.4 million girls, remain out of school. Furthermore, 77 per cent of ten-year-olds are unable to read and comprehend a simple text, reflecting the severity of the current educational crisis. These figures highlight a significant gap between policy commitments and actual learning outcomes in the country.

Public expenditure on education for the fiscal year 2024–25 is estimated at 0.8 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the lowest in the South Asian region, despite Pakistan being a major economy. To meet the UNESCO-recommended benchmark of 4–6 per cent, the country requires at least a 5 per cent allocation; however, current spending remains far below (2 per cent) this level. This underinvestment reflects the low prioritisation of education in national policy frameworks.

The purpose here is not merely to restate the existing realities but to examine the systemic barriers within public sector education. Government spending has declined from 1.15 per cent to 0.8 per cent between 2023–24 and 2024–25, further intensifying existing........

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