ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has released an Annual Statistical Report 2023-24 regarding Non Formal Education (NFE) in Pakistan, with a notable 20% increase in enrollment compared to the previous year.
The report showed an estimated enrolment of 35,427 with NFE centers serve 1,290,009 learners. As far as gender parity is concerned, over 57% of learners are girls, with significant regional variations.
Report mentioned that 82% of teachers are female, with significant regional variations whereas 3,382 adult literacy centers serve 80,093 learners, demonstrating a significant increase in focus on adult literacy. In addition, around 10,181 refugee children, primarily from Afghanistan, are enrolled in NFE programmes.
While the public sector plays a dominant role, the contribution of private and development sector organizations is crucial.
Pakistan faces a significant education crisis, with an estimated 25.37 million out-of-school children (OOSC) aged 5-16, according to the 7th Population and Housing Census Report 2023 by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. This number has risen alarmingly, influenced by the impacts of COVID-19 and recent floods. Non-Formal Education (NFE) serves as a vital alternative, providing flexible and accessible learning opportunities for these children.
Recent years have witnessed significant developments in the NFE sector, including the formulation of a comprehensive NFE policy, strengthened institutional frameworks, and the scaling up of Accelerated Learning Programs (ALPs), including innovative models like ALP (Middle-Tech). The “Zero OOSC Campaign” in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) a successful collaboration between government agencies, NGOs, and the community, demonstrates the effectiveness of a coordinated approach in identifying and enrolling OOSC.
The 2023-24 NFE Statistical Report provides valuable insights into the current state of NFE in Pakistan.
Annual Report recommended to expand Adult Learning Programme (ALP) Programmes, prioritise the expansion of ALP (Middle-Tech) programs due to their high retention rates (70%) and their ability to provide both academic and vocational skills.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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